Divorce Mediation Lawyers in Texas
A Divorce Mediation Lawyer Can Guide You to An Efficient and Constructive Solution
Today, many divorcing couples seek a way forward that spares them from unnecessary costs-financial, emotional, and time. For many, mediation provides a value-oriented solution. And because mediation is an out-of-court divorce process, it empowers divorcing couples to negotiate a settlement on their terms. In a traditional divorce mediation in Texas, an impartial mediator facilitates negotiations, and the divorcing individuals each retain lawyers to advise them during the mediation.
Together, the divorcing couple works to find common ground on property division, child custody, and other important facets of divorce. As a result, mediation often leads to a final, mutually agreeable settlement. A trained and experienced family law mediation attorney can help divorcing couples through the mediation process, saving them precious resources for the next phase of their lives.
Divorcing couples can participate in mediation at any stage in the divorce process; however, mediation is typically conducted near the end of the case, after the information-gathering stage of the divorce is completed. Most divorce mediators in Texas conduct mediations “caucus style” where each spouse and his or her attorney is in a separate room from the other spouse, and the other spouse’s attorney and mediator go between the rooms throughout the mediation.
Our Divorce Mediation Services
At Goranson Bain Ausley, our Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Granbury, Midland, and Plano locations offer a full range of mediation for divorce, services also include divorce mediation for individuals who want to retain a family lawyer to represent them in mediation. We also provide mediation services for family lawyers who want an experienced mediator to mediate for their clients. And recently, we have introduced a new approach to mediation called self-represented mediation for couples who choose not to retain individual family lawyers and want an experienced mediator to mediate their divorce.
For Individuals: The Focused Resources of Goranson Bain Ausley
When you choose a Goranson Bain Ausley attorney to represent you in divorce mediation, you gain the knowledge base that comes from a deep roster of skilled and empathetic family lawyers. We offer experience in a wide range of divorce issues, including complex financial matters to child custody cases. In mediation, we work creatively to advocate for your best interests and focus on finding workable solutions that meet the goal of an advantageous settlement. Above all, we are always looking out for your and your children’s future and securing the resources you will need to build it.
For Lawyers: The Mediators of Choice to Facilitate Lasting Agreements
Texas family lawyers call on the divorce mediation attorneys at Goranson Bain Ausley to facilitate their mediations with confidence. Our experienced attorneys are recognized leaders in an out-of-court divorce settlement and conduct advanced mediation training courses for family lawyers throughout the U.S.
As the largest family law firm in Texas, our divorce mediators and attorneys offer unequaled depth and breadth of resources. When you work with a Goranson Bain Ausley lawyer, you have access to the expertise of the entire firm. In addition, as experienced litigators, we can project likely courtroom outcomes and assist in the risk/benefit analysis that can move settlements forward.
In addition to traditional mediation services, Goranson Bain Ausley divorce mediation lawyers offer a new way to mediate where the couple and their attorneys participate in a series of mediation sessions throughout the divorce process starting at the very beginning of the case. This new way to mediate divorce in Texas allows for a more cost-effective approach to resolving matters related to divorce for couples who are committed to reaching an agreed-upon resolution in their divorce.
One Couple. One Guide: An Efficient Divorce Option for Self-Reliant Couples
Avoiding the potential costs and complications of a courtroom divorce is a primary objective of many divorcing couples. Self-represented mediation is for couples who are committed to coming to the table and working out a settlement through the mediation process with the aid of a skilled Goranson Bain Ausley divorce mediator. If you are among them, Goranson Bain Ausley offers self-represented mediation as an option to consider.
It is called “self-represented” mediation because a Goranson Bain Ausley attorney serves you in the role of a neutral mediator to facilitate settlement, not a lawyer to represent your personal interests. The mediator draws on specialized training to “chair” meetings between you and your spouse, guiding discussions, helping you find common ground, alerting you to potential legal issues, and suggesting options for reaching an agreement.
Self-represented mediation may be right for you if any of the following apply:
– You and your spouse are both knowledgeable about your estate and can jointly identify the assets and debts of community property estate
– You feel confident about navigating the divorce process yourselves without legal representation
– You decide to co-parent and work out an agreed parenting plan
Self-represented mediation begins with an initial consultation with a Goranson Bain Ausley attorney-mediator. The purpose is to ensure that it is a suitable process for you and your spouse and to identify any possible legal hurdles. If it is a go, you and the mediator will schedule a series of mediation sessions, which usually last two hours. For example, one session may be devoted to children, another to property and retirement assets, and still another to shaping a final agreement.
As a matter of Texas law, divorce mediation attorneys cannot offer you and your spouse legal advice regarding your divorce. For that reason, Goranson Bain Ausley encourages individuals to hire a personal divorce attorney who will meet with you outside of mediation sessions, help you gather information, give you legal advice, and review settlement terms.
At the very least, you will need outside legal counsel to prepare the final settlement documents that will be presented to the court. However, the mediator can prepare a draft of the settlement that summarizes your discussions and suggests additional items for inclusion.
Under the right circumstances and with experienced guidance, self-represented mediation can be a cost-effective option for couples capable of managing their divorce outside of court. Instead of engaging in the mediation process at the end of the divorce process, the couple is engaging in mediation from the beginning and throughout the divorce process which saves the divorcing couple legal costs and makes for a more efficient process to resolving the disputed issues in the divorce. First, however, it is important that you enter into it well-informed about how it works.
Goranson Bain Ausley Texas Family Law Mediators
At Goranson Bain Ausley, our divorce mediation lawyers in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Granbury, Midland, and Plano have the requisite training and certification in mediation that you need for achieving the best possible outcome. If you are an individual looking for a lawyer to represent you in mediation, a family lawyer looking for an experienced mediator, or a couple interested in self-represented mediation, we are here to help.
Awards & Credentials
- Thomas P. Goranson 1997
- Thomas L. Ausley 1997
- Diana S. Friedman 1998
- Thomas A. Greenwald 2003
- Kathryn J. Murphy 2004
- Eric Robertson 2007
- Kelly Ausley-Flores 2009
- Aimee Pingenot Key 2015
- Kristen A. Algert 2017
- P. Lindley Bain 2020
- Ryan R. Bauerle 2022
- Lindsey Obenhaus 2023
- Hayley Collins Blair 2021 2018
- Lindsey Obenhaus 2024 2023 2022 2021
- Katie Flowers Samler 2020 2019 2018
- Kathryn J. Murphy 2024 2023 2020 2019 2018 2017 2010 2009 2008
- Aimee Pingenot Key 2024 2020 2019 2017
- Thomas A. Greenwald 2022 2018 2012 2011 2009 2008
- Paula Larsen 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2008
- Diana S. Friedman 2017 2016 2015 2013
- Angeline Lindley Bain 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2009 2008
- Thomas P. Goranson 2011 2009 2008
- Beth E. Maultsby 2010
- Thomas L. Ausley 1980
- Thomas P. Goranson 1980
- Gary L. Nickelson 1984
- Paula Larsen 1985
- Angeline Lindley Bain 1993
- Kathryn J. Murphy 1995
- Diana S. Friedman 1996
- Kristen A. Algert 1997
- Thomas A. Greenwald 1997
- Eric Robertson 1997
- Kelly Ausley-Flores 2000
- Curtis W. Harrison 2002
- Cindy V. Tisdale 2003
- Jeff Shore 2006
- Clint Westhoff 2006
- Jeff Domen 2009
- Angel J. Berbarie 2010
- P. Lindley Bain 2012
- Aimee Pingenot Key 2012
- Kevin Davidson 2017
- Rob Frazer 2018
- Ryan R. Bauerle 2018
- Hayley Collins Blair 2019
- Lindsey Obenhaus 2019
- Katie Flowers Samler 2019
- Jonathan James 2020
- Chris Nickelson 2021
- Chandler Rice Winslow 2023
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