The professional background of your mediator is a critical point to evaluate before making a decision. At Mediation Advantage Services we offer a free one-half hour initial session with both parties, who must be present. I never meet with just one party prior to the mediation due to our ethical obligation to be non-biased in the process. At our New

Haven divorce mediation firm, we take all possible measures to maintain neutrality, going as far as ensuring any incoming phone calls are not handled by the mediator, but an assistant.

After the initial session, should the couple choose to engage us for the mediation process, we can meet with the individuals in the divorce separately, but it is advised that both parties are present for any meeting for a more cost-effective resolution. We never handle disputes via email or phone, but all of these issues are discussed with both parties present.

Maintaining neutrality is a critical point in an effective mediation, and at our firm, you can be confident that we are unbiased, neutral and work with both parties fairly. When a meeting with only one party takes place, a letter or email will be issued to the other party so that he or she has an equal opportunity to access our services on an individual basis. Read more about how we maintain neutrality by reading our page about mediator bias, and reading the full interview with our founder, divorce mediation lawyer Polly Tatum.