Family Dispute Resolution Practice | Maxwell Parker Conflict Consulting

FAMILY MEDIATION

MEDIATION FOR SEPARATED COUPLES

Family mediation, also known as Family Dispute Resolution (FDR), is when an independent, professionally accredited Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP) like our Principal, Matthew Maxwell, helps you and your former partner to work out agreements relating to your post separation issues.

Mediation helps to resolve issues such as:

the care arrangements for your children, post-separation known as a Parenting Plan;
significant decisions for your children such as relocation requests, schooling and medical requirements;
Financial and Property settlements (for example, what to do with your house, savings, other assets and debts).

FAMILY DISPUTES MORE BROADLY

Disputes and deep rooted conflict can occur in a family setting other than in a separation situation. Disputes can occur on numerous levels such as with grandparents or elder matters, disputed estates, conflict between siblings, to name a few.

Family disputes can be highly emotional and if left unattended can result in years of worry, stress, anxiety, unhappiness and a long running conflict.

Using a professionally trained, neutral mediator to get to the heart of your situation and facilitate discussions to resolve your concerns will allow everyone involved to get on with life.

Issues can span:

relationship issues or difficulties (either existing or new),
financial matters,
deceased estate and Will disputes,
succession planning concerns,
family business disputes,
parent - adolescent disputes
intra-family and inter-family matters , and
grand-parent / elder disputes or issues.

CHOOSE MAXWELL PARKER MEDIATION

Servicing clients from the Illawarra to South Coast and Southern Highlands; from Sydney CBD to Canberra, ACT; throughout southern NSW to national appointments; we offer a private and confidential service to direct clients as well as those who are legally represented.

Our clients deal direct with our Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP) from day one. There are:

no long waiting lists,
no lengthy application forms and
no dealing with multiple people as your matter progresses along a queue.

Our Kiama office caters for your initial enquiry and first meeting, known as an intake meeting. Once both parties have met with the FDRP individually, a mediation time is scheduled. Also available is a range of secure web-based meeting platforms to conduct interviews online, as required.

For clients in the Illawarra, South Coast, or Southern Highlands regions, we regularly utilise the professional and discreet conference rooms located at the Kiama Pavilion - overlooking Surf Beach, Kiama. These facilities are quiet, private and provide sufficient space and break out areas necessary for a safe, private and productive mediation.

Our clients benefit from conference rooms that are removed from their usual places of business, schools and homes. This dedicated space provides an ideal setting for people to switch off from their daily routines and focus on resolving their disputes.

As a private practice, we are happy to include your legal advisors along the way. It is important that you seek independent legal advice prior to mediation to better understand your options under the Family Law Act.

Should you wish for your legal advisor to be involved in the mediation, or parts of the mediation (ie property settlement), we are more than happy to accomodate them.

HOW MUCH DOES PRIVATE MEDIATION COST?

We provide a private end-to-end solution for clients looking to deal with their family conflicts discreetly.

Our availability is typically within a week of your initial enquiry to conduct your intake meeting. As a general guide, we can conduct your intake sessions (one each) and schedule your mediation day with 2-3 weeks.

This time frame is significantly shorter than most large government-funded centres that will typically take up to 3 months to schedule a mediation. Any changes to dates etc can see their wait times further increase. Our practice caters for a wide variety of clients and their busy schedules. Options are available for outside of hours, home visits, online meetings and weekend mediations where suitable.

FDR mediations are an all-inclusive** fee structure that includes your Mediation Agreement, all pre-mediation correspondence, scheduling, documentation such as parenting plans, and liaising with your legal advisors, and venue*.

Initial consultation : Free

Upfront engagement fee: $310 initiating client (90mins, includes documentation and Section 60I Certificate, if applicable.)

Second party Intake: $310 (90mins, includes documentation and Section 60I Certificate, if applicable.)

Mediation : $940 per client (half day, typically parenting plan or property settlement)

$1,490 per client (full day, complex matter or combined parenting plan & property settlement)

Additional hours: $190 hr per client

Depending on the range of issues that are being proposed, more than one mediation session may be required. We can consider your matter and provide our thoughts on the most appropriate session structure and timings for your individual situation.

* Venue: The Kiama Pavilion conference rooms are included in fee structure above. Clients and lawyers may wish to use alternative venues of their choosing (and agreement). These venues will be covered by clients, typically on a 50/50 basis. Maxwell Parker Dispute Resolution

** Costs not included with fees above include accommodation and travel expenses for 'out-of-region' mediations. These expenses are met by clients, typically on a 50/50 basis.

If you are looking for private and confidential assistance to help you and your former partner work through your dispute, then give Matthew Maxwell, Principal Consultant a call on 0403 436 453 or email office@maxwellparker.com.au.

All enquiries are treated strictly confidential and are free of charge.

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