Mediation Services Provided by
Dana Rakinic, Esq.
Private divorce and family mediation services are offered by
Dana Rakinic, through our separate Divorce Mediation
Services practice.
Mediation is a tremendously valuable alternative to divorce
litigation. Mediation is also often used successfully to resolve
post-divorce issues, such as child custody or support modifications,
or other family related disputes (see Types
of Cases, below).
Over the years, mediation, a form of Alternate Dispute Resolution,
has become an increasingly popular alternative to the traditional
litigation approach, especially in the field of family law.
What is
Mediation?
Mediation allows couples or families to explore options to
solving problems in a way that works for them. They are assisted
by a trained and neutral mediator, who helps the parties guide
their discussions, define the issues, and explore possibilities
and alternatives in resolving their disputes.
The mediator is neither a Judge nor decision-maker in this
process. The mediator does not dictate a solution, but helps
the mediating parties find their own unique solution which will,
ideally, work for everyone.
Mediation
Training and Experience.
Dana Rakinic is experienced and trained in the field
of family and divorce mediation for nearly 20 years. For the
first 10 years of her law practice, Ms. Rakinic was able to
observe first-hand how attorney-driven litigation, in some cases,
worsened the hostilities between the parties, instead of assisting
divorcing couples to find solutions to their very emotional
issues.
Mediation has proven to be an excellent alternative for those
individuals. Ms. Rakinic initially trained with the late John
Haynes, the highly respected former head of the Academy
of Family Mediators.
Since then, Ms. Rakinic participated in many advanced mediation
trainings and seminars. She is an approved mediator in the Montgomery
County, Pennsylvania, Family Court Custody Mediation Orientation
Programs. She is a Practitioner Member of the Association for
Conflict Resolution (formerly the Academy of Family Mediators).
Do
I Still Need a Lawyer?
The mediation process does not necessarily alleviate the
need for utilizing the services of a qualified family law
attorney. On the contrary, most mediating clients should,
and ultimately will, retain counsel at some point during or
after the mediation process.
In the mediation context, the attorney's role, however, should
focus not on strategies of trial litigation on contested issues
of property, custody or support, but rather on advising his
or her client, preparing the client before and after mediation
sessions; assisting in acquiring needed documents and information
crucial to the success of the mediation work; drafting and filing
necessary Court documents; and most importantly, preparing and
reviewing agreements reached by virtue of the mediation process.
The attorney, while still very much an advocate for his or
her client, assists the client throughout and after the mediation
process to achieve the client’s goals without the emotional
and financial expense of litigation.
In addition to the assistance of counsel, mediating parties
may also need the assistance of other professionals, including
accountants, therapists or appraisers. All of these services
can be necessary, or helpful, to the mediation process.
Types
of Cases
While most clients wish to mediate the complete range of
issues typical in divorce situations, such as separation,
division of property, insurance coverage, parenting issues,
and support and alimony, a divorce case is only one type of
case in which family law mediation is an acceptable alternative.
Many other types of family law scenarios benefit from mediation
as well, including:
- Custody, parenting and support issues arising either from
children born in or out of marriage, and/or which may arise
long after the divorce or involving grandparents.
- Open adoption situations;
- Family disputes concerning the care of an elderly or disabled
loved one;
- Separation issues without divorce, for religious or other
reasons;
- Disputes regarding cohabiting unmarried couples, including
gay or lesbian couples or families.
For more information, get in touch with us by visiting the
Contact Us page, or Click Here.
Dana Rakinic is happy to speak with you regarding mediation,
and to answer your initial questions regarding the mediation process.
If you contact us, by either e-mail or telephone, our office will
send you additional information regarding mediation services,
schedules and costs.
