What is important about legal advice?
Although our mediators have knowledge of family law, they cannot give you legal advice. Our mediators can help provide you with legal information but you need to get legal advice from a lawyer or Legal Aid Duty Counsel or advice services. This is an important part of your mediation experience.
Some clients do this before mediating, some during and some after an agreement has been reached. This is up to you. No one will force you to do so.
It is helpful to know the law and your rights and obligations before mediation starts. Lawyers will not usually go to mediation with the parties but this can be arranged in some cases.
Mediators are neutral and impartial, so even legally trained mediators cannot offer legal advice. Some legal information can be provided but it is important for each party in a mediation to have access to an independent lawyer to learn how the law affects them and to help them evaluate the choices they will be making in mediation.
The lawyers also are best able to help each party to organize and present the detailed financial disclosure that is required in all family law cases, whether mediated or litigated.
When the mediation is over, the mediator will report the points agreed upon in a Mediation Summary Report.
There are a variety of options as to what you can do at that point and your mediator will discuss those with you.
It is important to know that many lawyers offer a free initial consultation. You may also qualify for legal aid advice. For more information on Legal Aid Services, download our Information Memo.
For more information about your ability to obtain legal advice, contact our Information Coordinator or your local Legal Aid Office, or see the yellow pages to seek a family law lawyer near you.
Financial Advice
Finally, it is important to be aware that we cannot provide tax advice and information. At points during the mediation, Ms. Suzor will ask you to consider checking in with your accountant or other financial experts. She will emphasize these points to you during your mediation process as well.
