About
Our Clinic
The Mediation Clinic helps people resolve their divorce or separation issues without going to court. We offer mediation services at our office in downtown Toronto or remotely (by video conference) for people who may live elsewhere in Ontario.
Expertise
Our extensive legal experience in family law helps our clients reach fair and effective settlements with their divorce or separation.
Why Family Mediation
Faster Results
Most settlements in mediation are reached in a matter of days or weeks, rather than months or years like in the traditional court system. With mediation, family issues can be resolved with less emotional and financial stress because the overall process is simply more efficient.
More Affordable
Based on our legal experience in downtown Toronto, the average cost of mediation can range from $3,000 to $5,000 (per person) while the average cost of litigation in the court system can range from $50,000 to $150,000+ (per person).
Private Records
Mediation is typically the preferred option when privacy is a priority because the information during the process is kept confidential. In the court system, the information is not private because it’s part of the public records.
Flexible Options
Mediation offers people more control over the selection process of mediators, locations and dates. This flexibility helps make the overall experience more convenient, practical, productive, cooperative and positive.
Why Us
Legal Experience
Our clinic is an extension of Stanchieri Family Law, one of the leading family law firms in downtown Toronto.
Convenient Location
We’re located on University Avenue in downtown Toronto, within steps of the subway station and City Hall parking.
Modern Facilities
Our large and modern office space has multiple boardrooms and can accommodate various requirements and group sizes.
Efficient Operations
We apply the latest business best-practices to help deliver exceptional client service and fast response times.
Our Process
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01
Screening
Once you and your ex(spouse) mutually agree to proceed with mediation, you'll both need to complete our online questionnaire and book an intake meeting with our clinic. The mediator then meets each person separately and privately to determine if mediation is the right fit for your situation. The mediation sessions can begin once the parties sign the Mediation Service Agreement.
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02
Mediation
The mediator works with you and your (ex)spouse to help resolve the issues and reach a fair settlement. The average mediation generally needs 2-3 sessions to reach a settlement, but extra sessions may be needed for more complex situations.
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03
Settlement
Once the parties reach a settlement, the mediator then prepares the Memorandum of Agreement, which is a document that summarizes all the issues that were resolved during the mediation sessions. The document is not a legally binding document, meaning the document will not be enforceable so the parties will need to seek Independent Legal Advice from a family lawyer to ensure their agreement becomes legally binding.
Issues
Are your issues financial, non-financial or both? Financial issues include child support, spousal support, property division and business valuations while non-financial issues include custody & access and child protection. The number/type of issues (and their level of complexity) will influence the number of sessions.
Cooperation
Do you generally agree on some or most of the issues with your (ex)spouse? The number of unresolved issues and the level of cooperation between both sides will influence the number of sessions.