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Finding Middle Ground with the Assistance of Naperville Divorce Mediation Attorneys

The identities and circumstances in this story have been modified to uphold confidentiality. It conveys realistic scenarios based on our Naperville divorce mediation lawyers, but does not tell any particular person's journey.

Megan is a 35-year old real estate agent residing in Skokie, Illinois with her two young children, a 7-year old daughter and 5-year old son. After nearly 12 years of marriage, she and her husband Mark made the difficult decision to end their marriage due to irreconcilable differences that counseling could not resolve. While the divorce proceedings have been emotionally painful and logistically challenging for Megan, she and Mark agreed to try mediation to address certain key issues like child custody, visitation, and child support. To provide guidance and representation through the mediation process, Megan hired the services of Attorney Ryan Shope of Sterling Lawyers in Naperville, IL.

As a real estate agent, Megan’s schedule is often hectic and unpredictable, as she must be available to accommodate buyer and seller clients on evenings, weekends, and even holidays. A typical day involves getting the kids up and off to school, tackling household chores and errands, checking in at the office, showing homes to prospective buyers, picking up the kids from aftercare, shuffling them to and from activities and playdates, and trying to keep the house in order. Megan’s husband Mark works as an accountant with a demanding job that requires frequent travel to client sites and late nights spent at the office during busy tax seasons.

Megan and Mark’s decade-long marriage had been strained for several years leading up to their separation and divorce. With Mark absorbed by the demands of advancing his career and Megan bearing the brunt of child-rearing duties, they grew distant from each other. Mark was often absent from family activities and unable to provide much tangible or emotional support. Despite attempts at marriage counseling and temporary periods of improved connection, they ultimately determined divorce was the necessary path forward.

While Megan knows in her heart that divorce is the right decision after years of discord, she is devastated by what it will mean for her children. She worries about the impact of shuttling them back and forth between two separate households. She is concerned about no longer having their father physically present and actively involved in their daily lives. Complicating matters further is Mark’s high-pressure job requiring frequent travel and long hours. Megan felt mediation could provide a cooperative means of hashing out a custody and visitation schedule that protects the children’s best interests and stability. Her goal is to preserve the kids’ essential relationship with both parents despite the dissolution of the marriage.

To streamline the mediation process and ensure discussions remained productive, Megan’s close friend recommended that she contact Attorney Ryan Shope, known for successfully representing many clients in divorce mediation cases within Cook County’s family court system. As an experienced family law mediator herself, Attorney Shope understands the nuances and distinctive approaches that set mediation apart from traditional litigation. In their initial meeting, Attorney Shope asked thoughtful, probing questions to understand Megan’s specific goals, concerns and ideal imagined outcomes. She explained that as a mediator, her role revolves around providing seasoned legal guidance to protect Megan’s rights and interests while also supporting solutions amenable to both parties. Attorney Shope described mediation as an empowering means for individuals to take control of shaping win-win agreements.

Attorney Shope contrasted this cooperative mediation approach with the traditional litigation pathway where each spouse hires attorneys to make arguments before a judge, who then imposes a binding decision settling the disputes. She explained how her extensive knowledge of both mediation and litigation procedures helps clients like Megan thoughtfully weigh options and determine which process is best suited to resolve their specific situation.

In the end, Megan credits having Attorney Shope’s seasoned guidance alongside her throughout the mediation process as absolutely key to reaching amicable agreements with Mark. Attorney Shope helped Megan get crystal clear on her goals, concerns and ideal imagined scenarios before entering mediation, arming her with well-reasoned arguments to support arrangements aligned with the children’s best interests. During tense exchanges, Attorney Shope’s calm, centered presence and ability to gently steer the conversation in a more constructive direction focusing on collaborative problem-solving proved invaluable in keeping talks on track. Thanks to Attorney Shope’s thorough explanations of proposed options and terms, Megan felt confident that the eventually negotiated agreements were fundamentally fair, equitable to both sides and enforceable moving forward.

Most importantly to Megan, Attorney Shope demonstrated deep compassion for her painful situation as a mother and genuine interest in smoothing the transition for the children. Megan says just knowing she had such an astute yet thoughtful advocate by her side allowed her to fully engage in mediation with less anxiety clouding discussions. She believes trying to navigate the emotionally-fraught mediation process without Attorney Shope’s knowledgeable, caring counsel would have been exponentially more draining and challenging.

Megan’s story clearly demonstrates how working with an attorney experienced in mediation can help lead to outcomes that feel like “wins” for everyone when dissolving a marriage. By providing ongoing legal knowledge blended with compassionate emotional support, Attorney Shope empowered Megan to negotiate agreements that would protect her children’s wellbeing while still honoring her soon-to-be ex-husband’s rights. If you are considering divorce mediation to resolve conflicts with a former spouse, contact the accomplished team at Sterling Lawyers which boasts extensive experience representing clients in cases across Cook County. Their guidance throughout the mediation process can prove invaluable to finding common ground.

The identities and circumstances in this story have been modified to uphold confidentiality. It conveys realistic scenarios faced, not any particular person's journey.

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