Mediation offers a faster, more affordable path to resolution, but only if you’re properly prepared. We equip you with the legal knowledge and strategy to negotiate from a position of strength.
Mediation can be an excellent option, but walking in unprepared puts you at a serious disadvantage:
Without legal guidance, you can't distinguish between fair proposals and ones that disadvantage you.
If your ex is more assertive, financially savvy, or has a lawyer advising them, you're negotiating from weakness.
Without proper legal documentation, mediated agreements can be challenged or ignored later.
Mediation works when you enter with clarity, confidence, and a solid understanding of your legal position. Here’s how we set you up for success:
Mediation can save you time and money, but only if you’re properly prepared. Get expert legal guidance before you sit down to negotiate.
Don’t go into mediation unrepresented. With JustFund, we can secure your legal funding now and settle the bill only after your property settlement is finalised.
A structured approach to mediation preparation that maximizes your chances of achieving fair, lasting agreements without court intervention.
We review your legal rights and realistic goals to develop a clear, custom negotiation strategy before you even step into the room.
We compile all critical documents and valuations upfront, ensuring your negotiating position is backed by undeniable hard evidence.
We role-play scenarios and establish strict bottom lines so you enter the mediation process feeling confident, prepared, and in control.
We stand beside you to vet every offer. You will never be pressured into accepting a deal that doesn’t meet your goals.
We turn your verbal agreement into binding Consent Orders immediately, ensuring the deal is legally watertight and permanent.
Stop accepting unfair arrangements. Discover how the right legal partner can secure the support your children deserve.
Clear answers to the questions we hear most often. If you don’t see your question here, we’re happy to answer it during your consultation.
Going through a separation can be a challenging time for both spouses. Apart from the emotional distress that they go through, there’s the legal aspect. They have to settle on who-gets-what with regards to custody of the kids, division of property, financial matters, child support and so on.
However, separating couples do not always have to end up before a judge in a heated battle of varying opinions. They can always explore mediation as an alternative dispute resolution method.
In mediation, a neutral third party tries to help the couple reach a peaceful resolution that they are both comfortable with. The parties may choose to appoint the neutral third party themselves or leave the appointment to a judge. This neutral third party does not have to be a lawyer, what matters is that the mediator has no bias towards any of the parties.
Before you jump at mediation, you should have an idea of what to expect during a divorce mediation.
The mediator will invite you and your spouse to a divorce mediation session. By explaining the mediation process to you, the mediator would help you both to understand the implications of decisions made during mediation. The goal is that neither of you has to feel compelled to agree to any unfavourable decision during mediation.
The mediator has a duty to ensure that you and your spouse arrive at a peaceful conclusion and that you consider what is best for your children if you have any.
In divorce mediation, you do not have to agree on all the issues raised. At the end of the session, the mediator will put down the decisions reached in the divorce mediation as a Memorandum of Understanding. After both spouses sign it, the document can become a legally binding document in the courts.
Divorce mediation is a great option you might want to consider if you want to reach quick resolutions in a more comfortable environment. It is also cheaper than litigation, and it allows you to express your thoughts as you wish. Be rest assured that everything discussed in a mediation session is confidential.
It is not compulsory to attend divorce mediation meetings together with your spouse. You may decide to meet the mediator separately.
In a lawyer-assisted mediation, you attend mediation meetings with your family lawyer. Having a lawyer present with you during mediation is always advisable. They have your best interests in mind and will ensure that you do not agree to the wrong things. They’ll help you make more confident decisions.
And when the parties agree on a matter, their lawyers can draw up agreements immediately to enforce those decisions. However, you don’t want to take just any lawyer to a divorce mediation session. You need a family lawyer that is well versed in Australian divorce law, as well as in the family law mediation process. Book a consultation with the expert family lawyers at VM Family Law today.
The family law mediation process is completely voluntary. As such, you can walk away at any point during the mediation process. And while you should be positive and open to negotiations, you should not feel pressured to agree to any of the proposals.
It is important to have this at the back of your mind because you will be legally bound by anything you officially agree to. Once you sign the mediation agreement, backing out becomes difficult. This is particularly true when there’s no proof that you were under any sort of duress when you signed the agreements.
However, if you change your mind before signing the agreement, negotiations can simply resume again.
When couples go through a separation, the matter of who gets child custody usually arises. Sometimes, this can generate disputes which could drag on in court for a long time. However, this does not have to be the case. Parents can, through mediation, settle amicably on the custody of their children.
Mediation for child custody allows both parties to make decisions that are in the best interest of the children without any interference. It also allows them to set up a system that allows both parents to have access to the children.
By using mediation for child custody, parties can decide who gets legal or physical custody of the children. The parent with legal custody makes the major decisions in a child’s life. On the other hand, the child lives with the parent with physical custody. Unless there’s an exceptional reason, it’s better to have both parents share legal custody.
In some rare circumstances, separated couples can opt to skip mediation altogether and go straight to court. However, it is usually advisable that you go through mediation first to try and settle your differences outside of the Court.
Even the Courts expect separating couples to have tried the mediation process before bringing disputes before it. This is because family mediation has a successful record of helping couples reach peaceful resolutions, without going to court.
However, there are certain instances where you may not want to attend mediation or Family Dispute Resolution before you take your matter to court.
Whatever the situation, mediation or litigation, you need the services of an experienced and qualified family lawyer. One that understands the delicateness of separation matters. VM Family Law is that lawyer.
Court battles destroy families and finances. Choose the smarter, faster path to resolution. Let’s prepare your strategy and get this settled.
