Frederic Eckhart Dyson III

Rick Dyson was nothing more than a warm body representing me. After consulting with him briefly, and after very little communication, he led me into mediation completely unprepared. I felt like I walked into a lion’s den, alone and defenseless. He never offered procedural or legal explanations, alter...native options or thorough explanations of the process during any of our conversations prior to mediation. What we did discuss, I realize now, was a completely lackadaisical and misleading representation of the possible potential outcomes. It was as if he confidently created a fantasy land of unascertainable outcomes just to placate me. It seemed as though the entire process was a joke and waste of time to him. As someone who was not only naive to the entire process but also under a great deal of emotional duress, I entered mediation completely trusting him and unprepared for what I was about to face. I never even received a copy of the opposing party’s proposed parenting plan until I entered the mediation room that morning. I should have known then to listen to my intuition and get up and walk out until I was better prepared, more knowledgeable, and better represented. During the mediation, I was repeatedly spoken to condescendingly and treated misogynistically. It felt like he was judging me, mocking me, and representing the opposing party, rather than me. He would just shrug off my inquiries regarding procedure, law and potential options with a dismissive stoner- like, incredulous chuckle. There was an obvious relationship between him and the mediator as they were constantly exchanging jokes and smiles like old friends and were both in what appeared to be a hurry to “close the deal” so the mediator could catch a flight to Cancun to bask in the sun and play golf. I regret not doing my homework and championing and advocating for myself more. There is no way I would have ever signed any of those papers with the knowledge and clarity hindsight, time and experience have granted me. Not only did I feel like the laughingstock of the entire building that day, but this has continued to affect my life, as well as my family’s for years since this experience. Do your homework. Learn about the laws and your rights. Don’t rush into something or sign anything until you feel 100 % confident that you are ready. Don’t expect that just because someone is licensed by the bar that they are good attorneys and that they have your best interest in mind. There are good attorneys out there. But there are also lazy, selfish, incompetent and corrupt attorneys out there, destroying what is supposed to be a system based on fairness and justice. Don’t be a victim. Don’t get taken advantage of. Don’t let yourself feel pressured by anyone. Research your individual situation extensively first and/or get a second opinion. Otherwise, it could be an extremely costly mistake that haunts you and your family both emotionally and financially, for years to come.