|
Our Fees
As detailed in our website's
Why Choose Divorce
Mediation?, cost savings are not the only or even the primary
advantage of mediation. Nonetheless, mediation costs are generally
dramatically less than legal fees for a contested
divorce (one that concludes with a court trial or hearing), or
even for a divorce in which both
parties retain attorneys to represent them (but concludes by
settlement without a court trial or hearing).
Hourly Rate & More Importantly, TOTAL Costs
As experienced full-time
attorney-mediators, our hourly fee is commensurate with
other highly-qualified Colorado family and divorce lawyers. Presently, we charge one hundred
thirty five dollars
($135) hourly to each party, if you share our fees. (Our
hourly rate is
two hundred seventy dollars [$270], which, of course, can be
paid from joint funds or shared otherwise by your
agreement.)
But remember: the substantial
savings in divorce mediation is best understood by measuring
the total costs of your divorce or parenting dispute's
resolution — not just by comparing hourly fees!
As a recent Parade Magazine article (“A Saner, Smarter Way
to Say Goodbye”) explained:
“Mediators usually charge hourly fees
comparable to those of lawyers,... [b]ut a case that might
require 170 hours in a standard divorce might be resolved in
less than 20 hours of mediation!”
(As detailed below, our average time
and average costs
mediating a divorce are substantially less than this article
suggests!)
No Retainers, Major Credit Cards Accepted
Moreover, unlike most attorneys, we ordinarily do not ask for any
retainers or
monies in advance (for mediation sessions without counsel
attending). Instead, we simply ask that you pay at the end of each
mediation session, and for drafting, at the time of your
receipt of final documents. (We reserve the right to make
exceptions, for example, with parties residing out-of-state or
out-of-the country or having previously cancelled without
reasonable notice.) This can allow you to schedule your work
with us, consistent with your own financial resources.
Additionally, for your convenience, we do accept MasterCard
and Visa bank credit or debit cards.
Average Time
Although many mediators suggest the
average time spent in mediating a divorce involving children
is 12 hours, Larry and Chris are focused in their style and
approach.
Most couples with children — this expands
the topics to be considered, of course! — will meet with us
between two and four sessions (of two hours length) to
consider, discuss and arrive at a mutually acceptable
resolution of all divorce issues. Most divorcing couples
without children will meet with us only two sessions,
and sometimes only a single session. Child support modification or
post-divorce parenting issues often require only a single
session as well.
As discussed in the description of our
mediation process (Memorializing
Your Mediated Agreement), additional time
in drafting the Agreement and meeting to review and perhaps
revise or edit the Agreement is also required. Because of our
commitment to the latest automation tools, we pride
ourselves on being extremely efficient in drafting. We
typically complete a detailed and highly professional
Memorandum memorializing your unique mediated Agreement in
much less time than many mediators without such expertise.
Factors Influencing Fees
Our total time to mediate
your divorce or parenting dispute may be less than these averages, if you have limited
issues, have ready access to required information or special
resources, and have an easier time of discussing divorce and
family options. Our total time may be higher than these averages, if you
have numerous or more complex issues, have limited access to
required information and special resources, and have a more
difficult time discussing divorce and family options.
Of course, all of these
matters would directly influence the costs of divorce or
resolving parenting disputes in litigation as well! (Indeed,
many attorneys will require an advance deposit or
“retainer” for each of you that is equal to or greater
than the expected
total cost of a mediated divorce. And that initial deposit is
often exhausted, with actual fees and costs continuing to
escalate through
the litigation process — with its depositions, temporary
orders hearing, complex discovery and/or expert witness costs,
and ultimate permanent orders trial.) Low
Risk, High Reward
Because
Colorado law makes your
mediation efforts confidential, and we do not require
advance retainer payments, if you are in the very, very
small minority of couples who do not choose to continue your
work in mediation after a first session, you have only
invested a very small amount of time and money. The
risk is thus quite low, and the potential benefits and
rewards are quite high!
An Estimate of Your Likely Fees
Please, feel free to
contact us
by phone, or E-mail, for our estimate of likely fees to
mediate your particular divorce or parenting dispute! As professionals concluding your divorce or parenting
matter in the mediation process, the total costs of your
divorce mediated with our assistance will almost certainly
be significantly less than if you choose the ordinary,
contested, litigation approach to divorce.
We won't “hide the marble”
here. We're fortunate to be busy, we're confident we
offer enormous value, and we're direct about the anticipated costs of our work with you. 
|
