Low-Cost Family Law Mediation Services

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Low-Cost Mediation Fees

Tobriner Mediation offers a fee structure designed to make mediation available to clients on a financially affordable basis.

Free Initial Consultation

Tobriner Mediation offers a free initial consultation to potential mediation clients. The initial consultation provides potential mediation clients with an introductory orientation to how Tobriner Mediation works. The consultation usually takes an hour to 90 minutes. It takes place either in person or in a conference call with both potential clients.

Mediation Fee Structure

The Tobriner Mediation fee structure works like this: At the outset of the mediation clients pay a flat fee to cover a given number of mediation meetings. The most common structure is a flat fee of $5,500 to cover six mediation meetings. Meetings generally last about two hours, but they can be longer or shorter. For this fee the Mediator provides all services related to the parties’ case, including preparation of legal filings, assistance with preparing the parties’ Declarations of Disclosure, preparation of Memoranda summarizing meetings, selection of and communications with consulting counsel and outside neutral experts, and preparation of a Marital Settlement Agreement. If the mediation ends with three meetings or fewer, one-half of the flat fee is refunded to the clients. Although six meetings are often sufficient to reach a settlement, if the mediation requires more than six meetings, the Mediator and the parties negotiate a supplemental flat fee. Usually, the supplemental flat fee is one-half of the initial flat fee, so if the initial fee is $5,500, the supplemental fee is $2,750. Outside costs, including court filing fees and fees for expert advice (real property appraisers, retirement specialists, business valuation experts, and the like) must be paid by the clients.