Mediators Near Ontario
Why choose us?
A full suite of services
Explore how our straightforward mediation service is designed to help resolve complex situations.
A proven process
Learn how our step-by-step mediation process will help you save time, money, and hassle.
Affordable prices
Our affordable family law mediators offer various pricing structures for any circumstance.
Legal Mediator Ontario
Our Services
Our local mediators near Ontario offer straightforward solutions for complicated situations. By providing an affordable yet highly professional mediation service, we can help you efficiently and cost-effectively navigate your way out of difficult times. Explore our mediation services below.
Law Mediators Ontario
Mediation Services
Mediation is a confidential and non-adversarial process intended to help couples reach settlements on all issues relating to their separation. It is often the preferred choice for couples wishing to avoid the timely, costly, and emotionally draining process of litigation (family court).
As professional law mediators near Ontario, our job is to provide a safe space for couples to discuss the terms of their separation and facilitate productive conversations that ensure both parties are heard, understood, and respected. Our family-first approach has proven to help couples reach an amicable and mutually acceptable agreement together – ensuring you can decide your future, and not a third party or judge.
Online Mediation Ontario
Divorce Mediation Services
Divorce Mediation provides an alternative route to the traditional litigation process, which is not lead by a lawyer, but rather a mediator. A mediator is a qualified trained professional that will help spouses respectfully and fairly negotiate family terms. These challenging areas of focus typically include; the division of assets, child or spousal support, child access, parenting plans, and the marital home.
Your divorce mediator’s role is to facilitate conversation, explain the laws surrounding your separation, and draft documents outlining the terms agreed upon by both parties. You leave the process with a legally binding separation agreement and parenting plan if needed.
Mediator & Mediation Service Ontario
Child & Spousal
Support Calculations
Child and spousal support calculations are an important part of your Separation Agreement.
The calculations to determine the amount of support required can be complex, and there are many factors that play a role in determining what’s appropriate. With the help of state-of-the-art software, as well as Child Support and Spousal Support Guidelines, we can provide an accurate calculation that ensures the best possible future for your children, as well as a fair outcome that addresses the needs of both parties.
Law Mediators Near Ontario
Co-Parenting
Co-parenting Agreements, also called a Parenting Plan, is a document that comprehensively outlines the agreed upon plan for how you will raise your children after separation or divorce. It includes clear guidelines and expectations on how you and your ex-partner will co-parent moving forward, with regard to topics such as:
Parenting Time
Decision Making
Residency Schedule
Holidays
Schedule Management of Recreational Activities
Healthcare
Religion
Family, Friends and other Parties
Introductions to New Partners
Children’s Possessions Between Homes
Screen Time
Rules Around Mutual Respect and Boundaries
It is very important to have a written plan in place – not only to help parents avoid future conflict, but for the health and well-being of the children. Our goal is to help you create a plan that reflects the needs and interests of your children. This will ensure that your children have the opportunity to thrive in an environment where the foundations lay on strong and respectful co-parenting practices.
Online Mediation Services Ontario
Legal Separation
Services
A Separation Agreement* is a legally binding document that summarizes the terms of your separation. This document typically includes all legal agreements pertaining to property (assets, debts, matrimonial home, gifts, inheritances), as well as child and spousal support, and a Parenting Plan.
The Agreement also includes the agreed upon terms of any life insurance policies, and medical or dental plans. Our mediators use the terms reached during the mediation process to draft the Separation Agreement.
* A Separation Agreement is a contract between you and your spouse or partner that states the settlement of issues relating to your separation. Drafting your Separation Agreement is an administrative task, by doing so does not mean we are implying that we are lawyers and providing any legal advice. We strongly encourage any persons who are going through mediation to receive independent legal advice from a family law lawyer.
Online Mediation Services Ontario
Property Division
Services
Ultimately, divorce and money go hand in hand. During a divorce, regardless of what mediation process is taken, finances will always remain a significant aspect to negotiations, the division of marital property is a complex portion of the divorce that needs to be done properly. It is not uncommon to be anxious or uncertain about the division of marital property, as there are various factors to consider and agree upon.
When obtaining a divorce in Ontario and discussing the division of marital properly, any property that was acquired during a marriage will be divided amongst both spouses evenly. Typically, if your spouse owns any property or other assets that are more valuable than the property or additional assets that you own, your spouse must provide you with the difference in financial value.
In Ontario, a Divorce of property Agreement is otherwise known as a Separation Agreement, being one of the most crucial documents during the divorce process and a legal separation requirement. A Separation Agreement / division of property agreement is an ongoing legal contract between the two parties involved in the marital separation. The legal Separation Agreement / division of property agreement will indicate how the two parties will best move forward in the future and ensure any anticipated issues are resolved.
add peace of mind with
Ontario Mediation Service
Professionally Drafted
Separation Agreements
Mediator For Couples in Ontario
What is Family Mediation?
Separation can be a painful and challenging process. Family mediation is ultimately designed to make the process less difficult, by creating an environment that will allow both parties to amicably dissolve their partnership. With family mediation, a qualified impartial professional will facilitate collaboration between you and your ex-partner and help you both reach legally binding agreements on all aspects of your separation, from assets to childcare.
Together with your ex-partner, you will build a fair, sustainable agreement that reflects both of your interests, and leave the process with a clear roadmap for moving forward.
Local Law Mediators Near Ontario
Litigation VS. Family Mediation
Cost
$24,000 to $90,000 per couple, depending on the complexity of the situation.
$2,140 to $7,060 per couple, depending on the complexity of the situation.
Expectation
Lawyers cannot definitively tell you what it might cost to “win” your entitlements and how long the litigation process will take.
Before mediation, you will be made aware of the cost and timeframe up front.
Timing
Pre-trial alone can take a year and half and will require you to pay your lawyer throughout, regardless of whether your case goes to trial. A full trial can take anywhere from six months to several years.
With mediation, you can reach an agreed upon resolution in as little as two weeks.
Process
Both parties compete for all assets, including custody of children.
Both parties will be guided to finding middle ground regarding how various assets will be divided.
Privacy
If you go to court, you will be revealing intimate details of your life, finances, and relationship – all on record and publicly accessible.
With mediation, any intimate details or information you provide remains completely confidential and sealed away forever.
Decision
In family court, a judge will decide your future.
Through mediation, you and your ex-partner will decide what is best for each other and the future of your family.
Local Mediation Service
Our Difference
We offer a complete suite of affordable in-person and online mediation services designed to facilitate
amicable resolutions regarding property division, child and spousal support, parenting plans,
and separation agreements, while providing you with the necessary documentation to help
you finalize the mediation process.
Our approach is efficient, effective, and ultimately intended to help you avoid the stressful and
pricey process of litigation (family court).
With over 15 years of combined experience in mediation, we have extensive knowledge of the
systems that govern and support family structures. Simply put, we have helped countless
families going through what you may be going through. We’re here to help you navigate the
process with ease so that you can move forward with your life.
Contact us today to take your first step in the right direction.
Mediator Near Ontario
Our Process
Our process for in-person or online mediation is simple, efficient, and effective. We offer convenient scheduling through our online booking platform, strive to remain responsive at every step of the way, and always ensure your utmost confidentiality throughout the entire process.
Discover our straightforward step-by-step process below.
30-45 minute joint meeting with your mediator
Both parties must attend of their own accord
Any questions are answered
Discuss the process, costs, as well as your respective wants & needs
Confidential one-on-one session with your mediator
Screening for domestic violence and power imbalances
Screening of suitability for mediation
Opportunity to discuss your feelings regarding the separation, your anxieties, worries, and goals
Your mediator guides you through discussions regarding division of property, child and spousal support calculations, and parenting plan
Agreed upon terms drafted into a Separation Agreement
On average between 2 to 3 two-hour sessions
We will draft your Separation Agreement, Net Family Property Statement, Parenting Plan, and supporting calculations based on your agreed upon terms
We will review your draft documents together prior to finalizing them to ensure all the information discussed in mediation is covered in the document
Discussion of your next steps and options for moving forward
Our Team
Our core team of certified professionals brings together years of specialization in family law, finance, conflict resolution, and helping separating couples to reach positive outcomes.
Our Team
Dana Macrito Carelli
AccFM, FDRP Med, CDFA
Dana is an Accredited Family Mediator (AccFM), a Certified Specialist in Mediation (FDRP Med), and a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA). After graduating from York University with a BA in Sociology, she continued her education at the University of Waterloo, specializing in mediation. Dana has worked with a wide range of clients, from simple cases to very complex ones. Her focus is to ensure that her clients are informed and knowledgeable about what they are agreeing to.
Dana is a firm believer in the power of mediation to help families through difficult times and keep couples out of court. Since beginning her career as a professional mediator, she has helped hundreds of individuals seeking separation to reach amicable resolutions over property division, child and spousal support, and parenting plans.
Karalyn Marsala
AccFM, CDFA
Karalyn is an Accredited Family Mediator (AccFM), a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, and a Member of the Ontario Association of Family Mediation. After receiving a BComm from the Ted Rogers School of Business at Ryerson University, she worked in the accounting industry for 10 years before beginning her career as a professional mediator.
Karalyn’s background in accounting has proven to be a major asset in helping clients understand the financial aspect of their separation, while her passion for conflict resolution and goal-based collaboration has driven her to help countless couples find a middle ground and positive outcomes during the separation process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Separation Agreement?
A Separation Agreement is a contract between you and your ex-partner that clearly details the settlement of issues relating to your separation.
A Separation Agreement typically outlines terms regarding:
– Property Division
– Parenting time and decision making responsibility for the children
– Child Support
– Spousal Support
– Dispute Resoltion
– Life Insurance
– Medical and Dental Benefits etc.
Drafting your Separation Agreement is an administrative task and by doing so does not mean we are implying that we are lawyers and providing any legal advice. We strongly encourage any persons who are going through mediation to receive independent legal advice from a family law lawyer.
Why choose Mediators to help draft your Separation Agreement?
Mediation is much less expensive, less time consuming, and less hostile than family court/litigation. It keeps you focused on positive outcomes and common goals for the longer term, which is especially beneficial when it relates to children.
With our knowledge in family law and our specialization in conflict resolution, we can assist you with dividing assets, collaborating to agree upon terms, creating co-parenting plans, and ultimately, helping you find the middle ground.
Is a Separation Agreement legally binding?
A Separation Agreement is a legally binding contract once it is signed and dated by both parties in front of a witness, who then signs and dates it as well.
How do I help to make sure my Separation Agreement is valid?
There is a lot fo energy and time put into creating a Separation Agreement and it is important to ensure it will be upheld if you were ever in a court setting.
A few important characteristics of helping to ensure your agreement is valid are:
– Full financial disclosure was presented to both parties
– Both parties understood the terms within the Agreement
– The Agreement was signed without duress
– The terms in the Agreement are clear
Why do I need a Separation Agreement?
A Separation Agreement can settle all issues relating to your separation, for couples who are both married and common law.
It is important to have this legally binding contract to fall back on if a dispute were to arise in the future. It is best to pend the time and energy now so that there is a clear understanding of what you are responsible for going forward.
A Separation Agreement outlines the roles and responisbilities of each party regarding:
– Child custody and child support
– Parenting Schedules
– Division of property
– Spousal Support
What is Mediation?
Mediation is a process led by a highly qualified, experienced and impartial professional who will help you and your ex-partner come to agreements on all aspects of your separation.
Your mediator’s role is to facilitate conversation, explain the laws surrounding your separation, and draft documents outlining the terms agreed upon by both parties. You leave the process with a legally binding separation agreement and parenting plan if needed.
How Much Does Mediation Cost?
Our prices range from $1,750 to $3,299 per person, depending on the complexity of the situation. Learn more about how we determine our prices here
What is Financial Disclosure?
Financial disclosure is a broad term that is used to describe the process of providing access to all of one’s financial information. During a separation, one must provide their mediator and partner with all information regarding their assets and debts as of their “Date of Separation” (e.g. a bank statement or Visa statement showing the account balance as of the date of separation).
What is a Date of Separation?
The “Date of Separation” is the exact day that you and your partner separate.
This date is important because:
You can file for a divorce a year after the date of separation
It is the date upon which you will value and divide all property
Can I Force My Spouse to Attend Mediation?
Mediation is a voluntary process, meaning that both parties must provide their full consent to participate.
How Do Lawyers Fit into the Process?
Mediators are here to facilitate conversations, explain the laws surrounding your separation, and draft Separation Agreements for you. Due to the fact that we are neutral third parties and not lawyers, we cannot provide legal counsel at any point during the mediation. We strongly recommend seeking independent legal advice throughout the process.
Save Money
Avoid the costly legal fees of family court
Save Time & Hassle
Family court can be long and stressful.
Save Your Future
Don’t leave decisions up to the courts!
