Legal Advice and Role of Independent Legal Advisor

Mediators are neutral impartial, so even legally trained mediators cannot offer legal advice. It is important for each party in a mediation to have their own indep

endent lawyer to learn how the law affects them and to help them evaluate the choices they will be making in mediation.

The lawyers also are best able to help each party to organize and present the detailed financial disclosure that is required in all family law cases, whether mediated or litigated.

When the mediation is over, the mediator will report the points agreed upon in a Summary. Both parties will review the Summary with their lawyers.

Once the parties and their lawyers are comfortable with the wording, one of the lawyers will incorporate the Summary into the broader "Separation Agreement" or "Minutes of Settlement" the document will be signed, and then it will become legally binding.