How long does a typical mediation process take?

It depends. If we’re just doing children’s issues and the parties are relatively co-operative with each other, you can get it done in a couple of hours. If you’re doing the whole thing – all the financial and children’s issues – then that might take eight, 10, 12 meetings. It just depends. It also depends on how many assets they have.

Doing the children’s stuff is the hardest part because the financial stuff is a business deal. This is what we have to split. It’s not what I deserve, it’s not what I need, it’s kind of like, all right. The kids are the hardest part.

With 30 years of experience in family law, Laura M. Urbik Kern is a certified mediator and family lawyer who concentrates on dissolution, family and juvenile law, child support, and complex domestic relations cases.