Brian James

The Division of Assets and Debts During a Divorce — How Mediation Can Help you Divide These in a Way

Whether you have $10K or $10M in assets, the division of marital assets does not necessarily determine how much your divorce will cost you. The divorces we see on television, with high priced attorneys and high powered experts, do not have to be the rule... Read >

The Value of Mediation

What is the value of mediating your pre- and post-decree divorce issues? Below are just a few of the couples who have used our services for their divorce related needs and have expressed the value in their own words: Adam - Before mediation, I though... Read >

What is Divorce Mediation?

Divorce mediation is about you and your soon to be ex-spouse deciding your own divorce and what is best for the both of you and most importantly, your children. In mediation, you and your spouse meet with a neutral third party, the mediator, and with the... Read >

Wise Decisions: Cost Issues in Divorce Mediation vs. Litigation

Approaching the disillusion of a marriage, both parties are faced with many hard decisions. Whether to choose mediation over litigation is fundamental and primary in the divorce process. When couples weigh the pluses and minuses of both choices, the fac... Read >

Joint Bank Accounts and Divorce

1. How are joint accounts distributed in a divorce? Once a couple starts a divorce, there are many loose ends that have to be resolved. Some of the most important of these are of a financial nature. More specifically, all joint accounts that were shar... Read >

The Benefits of Co-Mediation: Seeing Both Sides of Every Story

Every situation has two complex and unique perspectives and the ability to interpret and identify with each side is a benefit divorcing couples must not take lightly. Having a mediation team composed of a male and a female allows C.E.L. and Associates to... Read >

Advice for Divorced Parents Regarding Teacher Conferences

How To Avoid Harming Your Child’s Future Education and Well Being Most parents know that parent/teacher conferences are a great way for them to learn about their child’s daily activities in school, whether the child is doing well and if their child ne... Read >

Surviving the Emotional Loss of a Loved One: Mediation can Help you Deal with the Causes of Divorce

Mediation, by nature and definition, bridges the emotional gulf that can exist between couples. The need to assess priorities, explore opinions, and achieve compromises requires mediators to learn as much as possible about relationships and the individua... Read >

Mediation with the Children in Mind: The Role of the Parenting Coordinator

There is a relatively new emphasis in Divorce Mediation and related court proceedings—the appointment of a Parenting Coordinator to ensure that the best interests of the children remain paramount. You may think that the best interests of the children hav... Read >

Mediation and Financial Security for Families

Divorce, with all its emotional and financial upheaval, is frequently wrought with stress, fear, and staggering challenge. In the economic times we now find ourselves in the stress, fear and challenges are being felt by everyone, not just families touche... Read >

Keeping it Confidential: Mediation and Privacy

Like everything else in life—we like to keep our business our business. There is something so dehumanizing about hearing virtual strangers comment on our private lives and when dissolving a marriage the last thing we want to be is someone’s cocktail conv... Read >

Divorce—It Can Bring Out the Worst in People

Words are perhaps the most popular means of communication we experience. The word "Divorce" is a word that can cause so much hatred, pain, and loss of control. Many people, when faced with divorce, immediately feel the need to make the person they fell ... Read >

Diffusing Crisis: Taking the Drama out of Divorce Through Mediation

There are few situations more likely to produce tension and crisis than marital discord. Two people with diverging interests, goals, and feelings are involved in a struggle but have a complex physical and emotional history. This is fertile ground for co... Read >

Custody and Visitation- What do those words actually mean, in layman's terms?

As a divorce mediator in Chicago, IL, I spend a lot of my time educating my clients as to what C & V mean. In the past, custody always went to the mom and dad got visits every other weekend. Views have changed over the years. Studies are showing that chil... Read >

College Planning – What Needs To Be Done During A Divorce

Most couples with children have no structured college savings plans set up. This is even more so after divorce proceedings commence. There are so many complex issues to discuss that college planning for the children takes a back seat to everything else. T... Read >