>Addison Cooper Question By: Addison Cooper  Posted in: Lawyers & Law Firms

What is the difference between a divorce lawyer and a mediator?

The main difference between a divorce lawyer and a mediator lies in their roles and approaches to resolving marital disputes during a divorce.  

A divorce lawyer is a legal professional who represents one of the spouses in a divorce case. Their primary role is to advocate for their client's best interests throughout the divorce process. Divorce lawyers provide legal advice, prepare and file legal documents, negotiate settlements, and represent their clients in court if the divorce issues cannot be resolved through negotiation.

On the other hand, a mediator is a neutral third party who facilitates communication and negotiation between the spouses to help them reach agreements on various aspects of the divorce, such as child custody, child support, spousal support, and property division. Unlike divorce lawyers, mediators do not advocate for either spouse; instead, they focus on helping the spouses communicate effectively and find mutually acceptable solutions to their disputes.  

While divorce lawyers often work within the adversarial legal system, where each party advocates for their own interests, mediators employ a collaborative approach aimed at fostering cooperation and compromise between the spouses. Mediation sessions are confidential and allow the spouses to maintain greater control over the outcome of their divorce, as they make the decisions themselves with the guidance of the mediator.

At The Family Law Firm Healy Eliot + McCann, divorce lawyers in New Canaan work to make the divorce process more manageable and less stressful by thoroughly explaining all relevant legal issues to their clients and responding to each client's individual needs. Click here for more information: https://www.thefamlawfirm.com/divorce

Ella MorrisAnswer By: Ella Morris