Hey there! Picture this: you’re standing at a crossroads in life, facing a tangle of emotions and entangled relationships. The traditional route—a courtroom battle—looms before you, intimidating, time-consuming, and impersonal. Or, there’s another path—a more personalized, focused approach that prioritizes your unique needs and patterns. This is where mediation and coaching step in, offering you the tools to shape your own destiny.

Navigating through 25 years of courtrooms in family law shed light on a critical realization—many cases benefit immensely from alternative dispute resolution. Termed “entangled relationships,” these intricate dynamics often require a nuanced approach that empowers parties to navigate conflicts themselves, rather than relying on strangers to make life-altering decisions.

At Quantum ADR, our experience has shown that judges often guide litigators and their clients to physically (and perhaps emotionally) leave the courtrooms, and go out into the hallways, and settle cases—a tacit acknowledgment that some matters are best resolved between closely related parties who truly understand the issues. Ownership and commitment to agreements form the bedrock of lasting resolutions.

Coaching emerges as a revelation. Often recommended alongside legal proceedings by mental health experts, judges and lawyers alike, coaching recognizes that some individuals don’t require therapy or legal advice but guidance to refine essential skills for self-improvement and autonomy.

Our mission isn’t to become binding decision-makers. We steer clear of mechanisms like arbitration and parenting coordination with binding decision-making authority, believing that given tools and insights, people can create their own solutions. Our aim is to coach, to empower individuals to mediate agreements and, if necessary, understand their recourse to a more traditional, litigious route—fully informed and conscious of their options.  At Quantum ADR we seek to empower others to achieve autonomy within entangled relationships.

This approach aligns with the court’s encouragement of alternative dispute resolution. Pre-divorce, for example, even litigators are often mandated to inform clients about alternatives, aiming to unclog dockets and offer a more personalized, efficient, and private resolution process.

Imagine this: you’re at a crucial juncture in life, navigating the complexities of a child-related issue. The court might not grasp the emotional nuances; it’s a gamble with your family’s future. But with mediation and coaching, you’re not merely rolling the dice; you’re actively shaping your fate.

Court personnel, who are often highly trained and educated attorneys, who have seen and know it all, will often echo the same sentiment—encouraging you to ponder whether you’d prefer a stranger deciding your family’s future or actively participating through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to carve out your destiny. It’s about taking control and making informed decisions.

And guess what? Exciting News! As of the first of 2024, and with a mantra of “More in ‘24,” I’m thrilled to announce our focus at Quantum ADR on providing mediation and coaching services to not only Divorce and CoParenting clients, but anyone else who is navigating through entangled, interconnected relationships that are meant to last (relationships with an intimate partner, ones with family members and friends, the ones we have with an employer or co-worker, and, for many the most important one of all, the relationships that we have with ourselves).

With years of litigation and mental health counseling experience, we bring a unique perspective to the table. Having been in the litigation and therapeutic trenches, we understand the cost and delay it brings. Our coaching and mindful mediation approach aims to guide parties towards autonomy and peace, offering insights on what to expect if they continue to litigate. It’s about informed choices and efficient resolution in a private setting of integrity, personalized service and attention.

But here’s the best part! Making mediation and coaching accessible is a priority. Through Quantum ADR, I am now able to provide mediation and coaching services to individuals, families, non-profits, and others, who would never have been able to enlist my services in the past. That’s because as a litigator at highly profitable (and reputable) downtown law firms there were constraints that I faced that had an impact on the character of my caseload. Maximizing profits was frequently a theme. Of course we sought out cases involving large marital estates, high income, complicated trust and business valuation issues involving high net worth individuals; and, for some, this was enough to maintain a passion for litigation, but, for me, it was always the human issues that I observed at their nucleus and the ripple effect those human issues had on others, especially children, that kept me passionate about my legal career.

I’ve been fortunate in litigation. I’ve had the opportunity to litigate 100’s of cases, many involving multi-day trials, at firms ranging in size from 2 to 200.  I’ve supervised and brought in client matters to educate, train and develop numerous associates and keep their caseloads full. I’ve appeared before and had the pleasure to get to know many judges and court personnel over the years; and I have memories such as providing pro bono work as the Lawyer of the Day at desks in the hallways of the courthouses that are just as fond as attending glitzy gala events (domestically and abroad) related to the law.

To sum things up, while providing top-notch legal advice and innovative yet reasonable litigation solutions to clients was always my primary goal, throughout my rewarding litigation career I also focused on empowering others to achieve autonomy by coming to agreements on their own as opposed to punting to a third-party stranger.  I encouraged, counseled and coached clients to self-determine outcomes, be accountable, take ownership over their situations, envision change, and set out (with my help) on a journey to effectuate change for themselves - sometimes on their own - and eventually so they would never need my advice and counsel again. That’s how I knew I did a really good job for someone. I helped them enough to put myself out of a job!

At Quantum ADR, we’re not just a mediation and coaching service. We’re your partners, guiding you through the maze of entangled relationships and empowering you to design your future. Our approach isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s tailored to your needs and aspirations.

So, if you’re standing at that crossroads, feeling overwhelmed by legal complexities and emotional turmoil, remember—you have a choice. You have the power to shape your own narrative. Mediation and coaching aren’t just about resolving conflicts; they’re about empowering you to create your own destiny with clarity, confidence, and a personalized touch.

In the realm of alternative dispute resolution, the cornerstone is empowering individuals to shape their futures actively. Mediation and coaching offer a beacon of hope—a way to navigate conflicts with newfound strength and autonomy.

Let’s embark on this empowering journey together. You’re not alone—we’ve got your back every step of the way.