Section 5.9 When Is Mediation Appropriate?

• Library: Family Law Deskbook and 2014 Supp

III. (§5.9) When Is Mediation Appropriate?

To effectively counsel a family law client as to the suitability of mediation, counsel should, at minimum, have a basic understanding of how mediation works. With the increased awareness of mediation in the general community, combined with the increased likelihood that a case may be referred to mediation by a court, clients will likely look to their legal advisers for information about whether mediation is appropriate for a particular set of facts and circumstances.

Counsel should be familiar with the advantages of mediation, including:

· the benefits to the client of taking an...