Mediation Preparation Sessions:

At Coastal Lawyers we are “Team Mediation”.

Mediation can save clients money.

Mediation can save years of heart ache and stress by avoiding the court system.

Mediation can help preserve co-parenting relationships so that parents can get back to their most important role of guiding little (and big) humans on their journey.

But like anything. You get out what you put in and unfortunately, not all mediations are created equally.

We have had clients who come to us, saying “mediation doesn’t work” or “I have tried mediation 4 times before” and I know it won’t work. With the right guidance, advice, and preparation, we have been able to successfully resolve these client’s matters by way of mediation. Has it been easy? No. Has it been without compromise and some reality testing of each party’s proposals? Of course not. But at the end of the day what it has done is moved clients on from the land of limbo and not knowing where they stand in respect of their property rights, financial situation and/or parenting positions.

That is why preparation for your mediation is crucial for your success. This is why we have also developed our mediation preparation sessions. We offer these for parenting, property, or both.

Property Mediation Preparation Session: $440 (including GST)

During our 90-minute session (which can be done via zoom, face to face or at our boutique offices at Gosford) we will prepare you for your upcoming property mediation. Including

1. The Law.
2. The Balance Sheet
3. The Mindset
4. The options for documenting an agreement.

The law:

Knowing the law and your rights and responsibilities under the legislation is powerful.

When you know where you stand legally, you then understand if what you are asking for at mediation is reasonable or not.

We will explain it to you in plain English.

• What are your pre-action procedure rights and responsibilities in respect of disclosure?
• The four-step process to property settlement.
• How are contributions considered (initial, financial, and non-financial)?
• How are adjustments made for future needs?
• What about add-backs?
• The homemaker role and how it should be considered.
• Issues of inheritances, businesses, family violence and wastage as relevant to your unique case.
• What about superannuation? Do you really get half?
• Valuations and when do you need one.

The Balance Sheet:

A balance sheet is really the starting point to any successful mediation.

You need to know the value of your assets, liabilities, superannuation, and any add-backs before you can start to mediation as to how to divide that asset pool.

You will come away with a document that you can finalise before your mediation and take as a starting point for discussions.

The mindset:

A successful and positive mediation requires the right mindset and knowing what to expect.

During our Mediation Preparation Session, we will explain to you

• How mediation works.
• What to expect at mediation?
• The link between positive communication and a positive mediation outcome.
• How you can be polite but still advocate for yourself
• How to negotiate with your former partner and advocate for yourself at mediation.

The Options for drafting an Agreement:

We will explain to you the different options for formalising your property settlement as well as the pros and cons for each including:

• Informal settlements
• Consent Orders
• Financial Agreements

How to book your Mediation Preparation Session:

• You can book your Mediation Preparation Session online.
• Payment by way of credit card or bank deposit is required within 24 hours of your booking.
• If you don’t see a date available, give our office a call and if it is urgent then we will find a way to fit you in before your mediation date.

AS FEATURED ON

People generally don’t come to lawyers for criminal law and family law advice in celebration. (That’s okay we don’t take it personally).

But talking to a lawyer doesn’t need to be overwhelming or scary. We just happen to know a lot about a particular topic, in this case the law and how it effects you.

At Coastal Lawyers, we give our client’s frank and practical legal advice. We are human’s, parents and spouses too. We bring our life experience to our role as legal advisers and advocates.

We offer a judgement free and confidential space where you can discuss your legal problems, have your legal questions answered and make informed decisions about your unique situation.

Our clients are busy people who are often juggling work and families. This is why we use technology to make the process of getting legal advice simple and convenient.

We use phone and video calls to regularly keep our clients updated. As well as face to face appointments at our Gosford offices when required.

We also use the latest legal technology including online bookings and payment options. Email and text messages to remind clients about their upcoming appointments and court dates. As well as a secure client portal so clients can conveniently view court documents and correspondence.

Early legal advice is often crucial to the success of your matter.