How long does a Long Island Divorce Mediation take and what does it cost?

Two or Three 90-Minute Sessions is Typical

We find that eighty percent of couple take two or three 90-minute sessions to complete all the issues in a divorce. It isn’t rocket science. There are a limited set of issues, and each of those issues has a limited number of realistic solutions. Whether you want to follow what the Courts have decided in the past, follow what the statutes state, or craft something more personal, only a limited number of solutions for any problem are actually practical in the real world.

What is difficult is dealing with the emotional issues of divorce — separation from one’s children, not enough money to go around, suddenly being on one’s own.

In mediation, our approach is that you can vent on any topic once. Then it is time to move on to practical problem solving. That is, in turn, simply being reasonable and realistic about the outcome.

What Does it Cost?

Our charge for a ninety minute session is $450. Our charge for preparation of the Memorandum of Understanding for Separation or Divorce is $1,250, which includes one 90 minute session for review and changes. So, you can expect to spend approximately $2,000. Unlike most other mediators, our Memorandum is ready to be used as a final divorce or separation agreement. It will not ordinarily require a major rewrite by your attorney or the preparation of a new Stipulation of Settlement or a Separation Agreement. All it needs is for your attorney to review and approve it. If there are changes required, they are included in our price, and we can usually handle them during the final review session, which is also included in the price.

You can then have your own attorneys prepare and file the final divorce papers. We can refer you to a number of mediation-friendly attorneys who will complete the divorce for you at a modest cost. There are also on-line services that will do that for you.