Serving Clients Across Ridgewood, Paramus, Hackensack, Fort Lee, Teaneck and Bergen County
When considering mediation, many of our clients have questions about how lawyers fit into the process. They wonder whether their mediator is their lawyer, whether they need a separate attorney, and how mediation attorneys differ from normal family law attorneys.
On this page, we will try to clarify the different roles that an attorney can play in the mediation process, and when
We will answer some of those questions below and address some of the ways that qualified mediation attorneys may be able to help reach an amicable, successful, and cost effective conclusion to your family law disputes including divorce, alimony, child custody, child support, marital agreements and more.
At The Law Office of Townsend, Tomaio & Newmark, our mediation attorneys practice exclusively family and divorce law for our clients from New Jersey towns including Hackensack, Ridgewood, Paramus, Teaneck, Fort Lee, and the greater Bergen County area. We believe in the value of the mediation process, and are here to best serve each client’s unique needs.
Call our office today to speak with a member of our legal team regarding mediation and how our mediation attorneys can help to successfully resolve your family law dispute.
Mediators, Attorneys, and Mediation Attorneys Paramus NJ
Family Law Attorneys Define Each Role in the Mediation Process
Even that title may seem confusing, but the terms “mediator”, “attorney”, and “mediation attorney” may refer to three distinct types of professionals and the roles they play in the mediation process. Our Paramus legal professionals can serve as either your attorney or your mediation attorney, but not both. Here is a breakdown of terms.
Mediators – individuals who conduct mediations. They may be lawyers, retired judges, or neither. In order to be an effective mediator, this individual must be impartial and advocate equally for both sides of a dispute. They must take into account all considerations and factors which are present without bias before reaching a fair and reasonable recommendation and/or conclusion for all parties involved.
Attorneys – if you have hired an attorney to be your personal advocate in a family law matter, that individual is no longer unbiased or impartial and is responsible for acting in your best interest. If an attorney has advocated for you in the past, they also may not be eligible to act as an impartial mediator. Many clients choose to forego hiring a personal attorney when electing to work with a mediation attorney, but you are certainly free to have both a mediation attorney and your own lawyer.
Mediation Attorneys – simply put, mediation attorneys are mediators who are also attorneys. Again, mediation attorneys must act in an unbiased and impartial manner in order to be a neutral third part for a legal dispute. They will use their legal expertise to make reasonable recommendations for the amicable conclusion of the proceedings.
What are the Advantages of Hiring a Bergen County, NJ Mediation Attorney?
So why hire a mediation attorney over any old mediator? While a good mediator will offer his or her fair opinion regardless of their legal background, here are some reasons to consider hiring a practicing mediation attorney:
- Practicing lawyers are up-to-date on family law matters and have intimate knowledge of other legal processes including arbitration and court based litigation
- You may be more comfortable entering a mediation without a personal attorney if the mediator is an attorney as well. This is doubly advantageous as not only are you protecting your legal rights by working with a family law attorney, but you are mitigating the cost of both parties hiring their own attorneys
- Mediation Attorneys understand all aspects of family law and divorce disputes, including complex legal issues surrounding division of assets, child custody, parenting time, and many more
- In the case where both parties also have hired their own lawyers, a mediation attorney understands how to effectively work and communicate with fellow family law attorneys, which often leads to a faster conclusion
Contact our Hackensack Mediation Attorneys Today for a Free Consultation
At Townsend, Tomaio, & Newmark, our family law and divorce lawyers have over 75 years of combined experience serving clients across New Jersey, including towns like Hackensack, Paramus, Ridgewood, Fort Lee, Teaneck and the greater Bergen County area. We are committed to offering alternatives to litigation, including offering our services as mediation attorneys. Our attorneys have effectively mediated countless divorce and family law disputes and we have partners who have served as panelists on the Morris County and Passaic County Matrimonial Early Settlement Panel Mediation Program.
Lean on our experience and knowledge of New Jersey family law to deliver expedient and cost effective conflict resolution so that you and your family can move on with their lives. Contact us online or through our Hackensack offices by calling (201) 397-1750 to discuss your legal needs concerning mediation or any other family or divorce law concern in a free and confidential consultation with a member of our legal team.
