With respect to mediation, there are different brands. If parties are looking to mediate directly with a mediator without attorneys, which they ask me
about all the time, the pros can be that people have to agree to it and presumably they’re going to be
reasonable, provide honest financial information, and it can be less
expensive. The cons are that it can go on a lot longer because there are no time pressures and the disadvantaged
spouse may not have all of the information available and sometimes mediation breaks up. I think the best
brand of mediation is when both parties are represented by council and they work with a mediator so that they are fairly
represented but the mediator unlike a lawyer is there to help the parties come up with their own agreement rather than
the attorneys advocating for them. So it can be a very interesting and challenging process.