Mediation

Pinto Potts offers a mediation service which is conducted by Karin Cox-Putker, a skilled and trained specialist. She is also a practising solicitor, which will be cost effective as it reduces the need for you to consult frequently with your own legal advisers. As a mediator, she can give legal information on, for example, legal process, but she cannot give legal advice by determining what would be best for you.

Did you know that if you qualify (eg. have a level of income below that set by the Legal Services Commission) that the whole process of mediation is potentially free? The Legal Services Commission will also pay for a solicitor to help you during and after the mediation to make sure that any agreement reached is fair.

If you do not qualify for public funding, then an hourly charge will apply, which will be discussed with you at the initial intake session. Charges are payable at the end of each session.

What is Mediation?

Mediation is about accepting that the relationship has broken down and that there is no going back, but you now need to make practical arrangements for the future.

Mediation is a process to help couples who have decided to separate or divorce to talk things through. Mediators are trained to help you reach agreement about how to make the best arrangements for the future.This may be about the way the children are cared for, or how finances will be organised.The mediator gives impartial guidance to help you understand what matters to you and to make your own choices about the best way forward.

What is it not?

Well, for one thing, it is not counselling. Counselling is about you and your relationship and helping you understand and deal with your feelings and emotions. You could potentially need counselling as well as mediation, but they are very different processes. Counselling looks to the past to see what went wrong and how to put it right or deal with it.

Why should you?

Mediation can help ease the pain by reducing tension and hostility, keeping communication channels open and saving the cost of expensive court battles.

Help your children by showing that their parents are working together to resolve issues.

Help yourself to a less stressful future.

How does it work?

Mediation takes place in an informal setting with generally only you, your ex partner and the mediator present.

The mediator is there to assist you both to listen to the other to understand their needs and concerns and to try and find a solution.The mediator will help you look at different scenarios and test your ideas.

The initial session is simply to exchange information and ascertain your eligibility for public funding. At the end of that first intake session, you can make an informed decision whether to continue with mediation or not.

After all it is a voluntary process.

Thereafter there may be a number of sessions and 3 to 5 sessions of 1.5 hours is not uncommon.

When you are both content with the decisions you have reached, the mediator will provide you with a written summary of the decisions you have both made.

You can consult your own solicitor at any time, to take partial advice on what is best for you and to complete any legal formalities.

Why wait? Take charge and call now on 01252 361200