“I knew the bill before the first session, and so did he. That took one argument off the table before we started.”
Briar T.Co-parent, separation mediation
Mediation in Chapel Hill
Settle it together, at one table
Two hours with a neutral mediator, a private intake call with each of you, and a one-page summary of what you agreed. Everything crossed out below is left out of the fee.
- Legal advice for either of you
- Court filing fees
- A signed agreement
2 hours
at one table with a neutralFree
first 15-minute call2 days
to your written summary
A signed agreement takes more than one session. Every case is different, and a session may or may not end in a settlement.
Fees
Each of you pays the same fee, set before you book
One fee for each person's seat, quoted in writing after a free 15-minute call. Add the two together for the number on the invoice.
One session
For a disagreement with one or two things left to decide: a date, a schedule, a figure.
A private 15-minute intake call with each of you
Two hours at the table with one mediator
A one-page summary within two business days
Agreement package
Up to three sessions and a written agreement that each of your lawyers can read before you sign. The fee follows the number of sessions you use.
Up to three two-hour sessions
A written memorandum of understanding
One round of edits after your lawyers read it
If two hours aren't enough
Book another two hours, or move to the Agreement package. Sessions you have already paid for count toward it.
Court filing fees, outside experts and each person's own lawyer are paid separately. The first call is free and carries no obligation.
Whose table
Pick the table that matches your disagreement
Each has its own page with what a session covers and what to bring.
Separation and divorce
Parents and partners dividing a household: who lives where, who pays what, and what the week looks like for the kids.
Separation mediation
Business partners
Co-owners who disagree about a buyout, a role or money, and want to keep the company running while they sort it out.
Partner mediation
Family care
Adult children and a parent deciding on a move, a caregiver or who handles the money, with everyone heard.
Family care mediation
Compared
Mediation next to the other ways to settle
| Going to court | Midpoint | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | Going to courtHourly fees for two lawyers, plus filing fees | MidpointA per-person fee, quoted before you book |
| Who decides | Going to courtA judge, after each side argues its case | MidpointThe two of you, with a neutral keeping order |
| How soon | Going to courtDates set by a court's schedule | MidpointA first session booked around your calendars |
| Who sees it | Going to courtFilings that are usually public | MidpointA private room and a private summary |
| What you leave with | Going to courtAn order neither of you wrote | MidpointA summary or agreement you both wrote |
Afterward
Sample comments from people on both sides of the table
“We stopped talking about who was right and made a list of what the business needed. The summary arrived two days later.”
Anneke L.Business partner
“My brother and I disagree on a lot, and nobody felt talked over. We left with a plan for Mom's move.”
Magnus P.Adult child, family care mediation
Each person's matter is different, and a past session says nothing about how yours will go. These are sample comments, with names shortened.
The bill
Questions about the fee, answered first
What does the first call cost?
Nothing. It runs about fifteen minutes, and we use it to see whether mediation fits. After that, each of you pays the fee for the package you choose.
Do we each pay half?
Each of you pays the same per-person fee. If you agree that one of you will cover both, tell me before the first session and the invoice will say so.
What if two hours aren't enough?
Book another two hours at the same per-person fee, or move to the Agreement package. Sessions you have already paid for count toward the package fee.
Do we need our own lawyers?
You may bring one, and for a signed agreement it's a good idea. I can't give either of you legal advice, so a lawyer's time is paid separately.
What if one of us stops coming?
Mediation is voluntary, and either of you may stop at any time. A session canceled more than two business days ahead isn't billed.
Start with a free 15-minute call
Tell me who's on the other side of the table and what's left to decide. I'll tell you which package fits, or whether mediation does.
The first call is free and carries no obligation. Sessions are billed at the fee quoted in writing.