- Mediator - Family, Separation/Divorce, and Business Mediation
- Attorney
- Psychotherapist
Save Time, Money and Emotional Energy with a Mediated Separation or Divorce
Dolores Deane Walker, C.S.W., J.D.
Mediation Services
153 Waverly Place, Suite 1111
New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212) 691-6073
Fax: (212) 414-8603
E-mail: DWalkermed@aol.com
http://www.divorcenet.com/ny/walker.html
FREE TELEPHONE CONSULTATION
Find out about the mediation process and how it will help you to work
out an agreement for your unique situation.
Dolores Deane Walker is an experienced
family, divorce and business mediator in private practice, who also
leads workshops about the emotional and legal aspects of family and
divorce mediation. She is the co-author of "The Divorce Mediation
Answer Book” (Publisher: Kodansha; Distributor: Oxford University
Press). She has been an attorney since 1979, and a psychotherapist
and mediator since 1991.
Professional Memberships and Accreditation:
Previously Director of Negotiations for a New York City mayoral agency, Dolores
is an Advanced Practitioner Member of the Association for Conflict Resolution
(formerly AFM), a founding member of AFCC, an Accredited Member of the New York
State Council on Divorce Mediation, a former Board Member of the Family & Divorce
Mediation Council of Greater New York (1997-2003), and a member of the Family
Section of the New York State Bar Assn., the New York State Society for Clinical
Social Work, NASW, the Assn. of the Bar of the City of NY, and the New York State
Bar Assn. She is admitted to the New York State Bar and to the Federal District
Court: Eastern District and Southern District, and the U.S. Supreme Court. A
former resident of Texas, Oklahoma and Michigan, she has been in practice as
a mediator in New York City since 1991.
Mediator's Role:
As your mediator, I provide a safe, neutral, and structured environment. I help
you work through emotional concerns and legal options so that you can create
an agreement that is uniquely applicable to your situation.
I encourage cooperation,
help each of you to communicate your needs, and keep the mediation session
focused. I remain neutral throughout the process and serve
as your guide. As an attorney and a psychotherapist, when appropriate, I am
able to provide information about both the law and about the emotional
needs of your
children.
After mediation is complete, if appropriate, since I am an attorney/mediator,
I can draft your Agreement. The Separation Agreement is a contract that defines
all of your financial and parenting arrangements. You will need the Separation
Agreement when you file for divorce.
Advantages to Mediation:
In mediation, you are able to work out your own unique agreement, avoid litigation,
and many hours with two attorneys. As you are in control of the process, mediation
is cost and time-efficient. You decide how quickly to proceed and can control
the total cost. Mediation provides a safe, neutral, structured setting in which
to solve your parenting and financial arrangements. It reassures your children
that you can
continue working together for their benefit.
Decisions in Mediation:
Some of the decisions you will make include financial and parenting arrangements,
access to records, allocation of assets, responsibility for support, debts, medical
and life insurance, and taxes (refunds, penalties, exemptions, status and credits).
Separation Agreement:
Since I am an attorney/mediator, when you have completed mediation, when appropriate,
I can provide you with the formalized final Separation Agreement. I always recommend
that each party review the draft Agreement with separate independent review attorneys
before signing. (See Articles: What Is the Difference
Between a
Separation Agreement and a Memorandum of Agreement? and The
Role of New
York Attorneys in Divorce Mediation.)
If you want a no-fault divorce, provided that you live apart for
a year after signing your Separation Agreement, you will be able to
file for a "no-fault" divorce. This is the only no-fault
ground available in New York State. See Article: Grounds for Divorce - New York
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