One Portland Divorce Mediator,
Five Services

Dictionaries define “mediator” as one who helps disputing parties reach agreements, but you’d be hard-pressed to find one that mentions law in the initial definition. A divorce is a legal matter, so the mediator must have broad and deep knowledge of the law in general, particularly family law. In a divorce, it is not enough simply to help people reach agreement. The substance and level of detail of the agreement. For such a task, there is no substitute for 1200 hours of legal instruction and at least that many more hours studying the law in a three-year J.D. degree program.

Law-Degreed Divorce Mediator with 20 Years of Experience

Family Law Financial Analyst

Every divorce involves finances to some extent. The division of property and debts in a divorce settlement is nonmodifiable except in the rarest circumstances. It is crucial to get it right the first time without regret about not being thorough enough.

Law school alone does not provide enough financial training. Matthew sought and obtained substantial additional financial training. The fusion of a law degree with specialized financial training results in a Marital Settlement Agreement that contains legal nuances to accommodate financial nuances. Read more.

The do-it-yourself parenting plan forms provided by the State of Oregon have space for schedules, exchange times, residence, communication, decision-making, and future dispute resolution. Those categories miss about 90% of all the decisions that parents should include in their divorce agreements. Matthew creates comprehensive parenting plans that include questions about more than 50 categories of topics that you could address in your divorce agreement. Read more.

Parenting Plan Expert and Divorce Coach

Free Services to Teens and Pre-Teens in Mediation

For 20 years, Matthew has invited teens and pre-teens to be part of the divorce mediation process. It is what is known as “child-inclusive mediation.”

Kids aren’t present in the adult mediation sessions, nor are they allowed to vote on or veto decisions that their parents make on their behalf. However, there is substantial research that shows that allowing a teen or pre-teen to have input as to the parenting plan is constructive and helpful.

Allowing teen and pre-teen kids to have a confidential session with the divorce mediator does not “put the child in the middle,” as some people incorrectly suppose that it could. In a litigated divorce with a custody evaluation, a judge would take into account the wishes of a teen or preteen, and the same should be true for mediation.

There is no other mediator in Oregon who does so free of charge, but Matthew has offered no-cost sessions to the children of his mediation clients since the first day of his practice in November 2005.

Matthew believes that the same is important in the peaceful setting that is mediation. He has a dedicated room of his office for that purpose, furnished comfortably and decorated casually. The sessions are confidential and free of charge. Read more.

Matthew has been a notary public since 2017. He provides free notary services to clients during and after mediation. Although that service is not as crucial to the success of mediation as the other four skills that Matthew brings to the process, it is a convenience that he is happy to offer.

Notary Public