Included in this Section are the following subjects:
Fees are generally $115 per hour except for Mediation/Arbitration and Parenting Coordination services for which fees are $135 per hour. This is the total hourly fee for all participants. (If co-mediation with a second mediator is requested, fees are higher.) Sessions generally last 2 hours. The number of sessions required will vary depending on your situation, but here are some ranges:
Consultation to individuals preparing for negotiations - 1 to 3 sessions.
Mediation for couples working on pre-nuptial or marriage issues - 2 to 4 sessions.
Divorce mediation - 3 to 20 sessions depending on situation.
Post-divorce issues and modifications - 1 to 6 sessions.
Parent-adolescent, inter-generational, extended family - 1 to 2 sessions.
Guardian/Conservator, family business or partnership negotiations - 1 to 5 sessions.
Cognitive modeling - 1 session.
Mediation/Arbitration - 1 to 2 sessions per major issue.
Parenting Coordinator - 1 session each at start; individual phone consultation thereafter; occasional face-to-face sessions as needed.
Clients are asked to pay for each session at the time of the appointment. If I have spent time since the last session drafting an agreement or doing other work in your behalf, I ask you to pay for the work done so far at the time of our next session. I am able to keep my rates low partly because I do not have the overhead of a billing system.
Sessions can sometimes be scheduled for evenings or weekends if required due to client schedules.
In the case of mediation, it is assumed that sessions will continue until all important matters are settled. However, mediation clients may decide to withdraw at any time (Mediation/Arbitration and Parenting Coordinator clients follow stricter rules). Before terminating, you will be asked to discuss this together.
Once plans or agreements are reached it is usually best to put them in writing. I charge the same hourly rate for preparing documents. For example, drafting a divorce agreement may require anywhere from 2 to 12 additional hours. Other agreements covering fewer issues take less time.
Should you have a need, we can discuss reduced fees. Reduced fee sessions are generally done only between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on weekdays. You may be requested to contribute community service time to a non-profit agency serving families.
There is no charge for sessions canceled with adequate notice, which for me is by 10:00 a.m. of the business day (Mon - Fri) prior to the appointment. However one-half the session fee is charged for sessions canceled with less than adequate notice, except in emergencies. Should you miss a session without giving any notice at all, full fee is charged for the session length originally scheduled, except in emergencies.
Initial
Consultations and Consultation by Phone
Initial telephone consultations with participants are intended to be brief and to find out if what I offer is appropriate for you. This is also how I establish an informed basis for the first meeting. Such consultations are free. For the initial face-to-face session the agreed fee is charged.
After the initial session brief phone consultations to deal with procedural questions are welcomed and are not charged. Extended calls will be charged at session rates.
This information is intended to assist you in making
your decision regarding services. Please
be sure to ask any questions you may have.
You are invited and encouraged at any point to discuss or question
thoroughly anything you do not understand.
As a Guidelines Member of the Colorado Council of Mediators and Mediation
Organizations (CCMO), I voluntarily participate in its grievance procedure. If, at any time, you have a complaint about my professional
conduct which we cannot resolve between us, this service is available to you at
no charge (CCMO telephone number: (303) 322-9275; email: ccmo@coloradomediation.org;
CCMO website: www.coloradomediation.org).