Simmons & Gottfried, PLLC

January 16, 2009,  Alona M. Gottfired, Esq. and Jared C. Simmons, Esq. started the Mediation and Law Firm of Simmons & Gottfried.

Alona Gottfried has been practicing law in Arizona since 1995.  A native of the state of Arizona, Ms. Gottfried obtained her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Arizona State University (Summa Cum Laude; Phi Beta Kappa) and her law degree from the Arizona State University College of Law.

The new firm is located at:  3877 N. Seventh St. Suite 340, Phoenix, AZ 85014-001.  The direct number to the firm is 480-998-1500.  Alona’s email address is Alona(at)SGLawAZ.com

What Can I Do If I Can’t Afford To Pay An Attorney For A Divorce?

What Can I Do If I Cannot Afford To Pay An Attorney For A Divorce?  Getting a divorce can be very emotional as well as expensive experience.  Hiring a divorce attorney can be very expensive.  At $350 an hour, the average divorce can run $10,000.  That is only for one side.  The average mediation can be completed for $4000.

Is Mediation A Good Solution For Getting Divorced?

Divorce Mediation can be a great solution to going to divorce court.  A mediation can be completed in as little as one day.  Litigating a divorce can take months or even years.  The emotional strain of dragging out a divorce can end up being more than the monetary cost.  The only kicker with mediation is that both parties need to have voluntary participation for it to work.  It one side does not want to participate you will probably need to seek other channels to resolve your divorce.

Take a look at all of your options and see what is best for you.

Mediation Hotline toll free 1-888-368-6668

What Is Divorce Mediation?

Divorce mediation is an alternative to filing for divorce with an attorney or going through the courts.  Family mediation is faster and less expensive than doing a traditional divorce through a family law attorney.  Most mediators have taken mediation training as well as additional mediation courses to offer a qualified mediation service.

Is Mediation Cheaper Than Litigation For A Divorce?

Mediation is much cheaper than litigating or hiring an attorney to represent you in court.  Often a family mediation can be completed in one day.  If you get your divorce in court, it can take months or years.  The average divorce can cost over $20,000 for both parties while a mediation would be $4000 for both.  The only kicker with divorce mediation is that both parties must be open to it.  It one side has their heels dug in, mediation will probably not be the best option and you will need to hire an attorney.  Mediation is not just for divorce.  Workplace mediation has also become popular as a way for employers and employees to settle their disputes.

This information is of general interest and should not be considered legal advice.  If you need legal advice seek the services of a professional or attorney.

What is the difference between Mediation and Litigation? Family Law

What is the difference between Mediation and Litigation?  Litigation involves going throught the judicial process.  It would require that you be represented by a family law attorney and going up against the other party in a court of law if an agreement cannot be worked out.  Litigating can be a very expensive process.  The average divorce lawyer will charge you $10,000 to settle your divorce.  This does not count the fees for your spouse.  It can take months if not years for a divorce attorney to settle your case.  Mediation can be done in a day or even just one meeting.  Mediation is quick and affordable.  It seems to be the upcoming trend in getting disputes settled.

Can You Do Family Law Mediation in Arizona?

You can Mediate anything anywhere.  To be a mediator does not require any special licensing.  However having someone who is familiar with family law handling a mediation for a divorce would be helpful.  The average mediation for both parties in a divorce would be around $4000 for simple cases.

How Do I Find A Mediator In Phoenix?

Mediation Hotline toll free 1-888-368-6668

This information is of general interest only.  Debt Free Dave is not an attorney and does not give legal advice.  If you need legal advice contact a professional or attorney at law in your area.

What Is The Cheapest Way To Get Divorced?

What Is The Cheapest Way To Get Divorced?  There may be no cheapest way but there are alternatives to hiring an expensive divorce attorney.  You could go to Arbitration or even do the paperwork yourself.  In the past these have been the only options.  Now Mediation is making a major resurgence in the marketplace for settling disputes.  Mediation is considered time efficient as well as reasonable monetarily.  The average divorce can cost over $10,000 per party as compared to $4000 for a qualified family mediator.  Attorneys are expensive and at over $300 an hour it can get expensive in a hurry.

How Do I Find A Mediator In Phoenix?

Some attorneys are mediators so you may want to inquire with attorneys in your area to see if they offer mediation.  You should see a big difference in the fees that are charged by them.  Many attorneys actually favor mediation as a favorable alternative to getting divorced.

Mediation Hotline toll free 1-888-368-6668

This information is of general interest only.  Debt Free Dave is not an attorney and does not give legal advice.  If you need legal advice contact a professional or attorney at law in your area.

What is Mediation?

What is Mediation?  Mediation could be thought of as an assisted negotiation.  Negotiation may be looked at as communications for agreement.  Therefore, mediation would be assisted communications for an agreement.  Mediation is not adversarial, in fact it requires cooperation in a collaborative nature.  If one party wants to participate and the other doesn’t, you probably wont get too far.  It takes both parties being open to working out a resolution.

Does Mediation Work For Divorce?

Mediation is a great outlet for divorce but again both parties need to be open to the process.  If one party is not open to mediating the divorce then the whole thing will break down.  If you have a dispute or are considering divorce, you may want to make your first call to an attorney instead of an attorney.

Mediation Hotline  1-888-368-6668

How Is A Mediator Different Than An Attorney?

A Mediator is considered to be a neutral party where as an attorney will only be working for his or her client.  The mediator’s role is ensure that the parties reach agreements in an informed and voluntary manner.  A good mediator will not resort to intimidation and coercion of the parties just to find a settlement.