Dana Lynn Santos

For years I litigated family law cases, and really enjoyed that aspect of my practice. Going to court and fighting for my clients was challenging and rewarding. However, for the majority of family law clients, litigation is not the best way to resolve conflict, and any attorney worth their salt will tell you that. Children get caught in the middle, money is spent on fighting in court rather than on living expenses or college funds, and everyone's life is put on hold for months, sometimes years. When I became an attorney in 2000, I took both litigation and mediation clients, and it has been interesting over the years to compare the two practices. In litigation, while my clients enjoyed "winning", sometimes they lost. Sometimes their relationships with their children were irrevocably changed. And none of my former clients every told me at the end of a case that they would do it all again the same way. In mediation, on the other hand, partners reported high levels of satisfaction. People felt heard, and maintained their self respect in the process. No one was taken advantage of, and people were able to bring their relationship to a close without more pain and upset. Parents were given the power to chose their own parenting plans, rather than a judge or mental health professional telling them what the plan would be. And parties appreciated all the funds that were saved in a collaborative process that wasn't motivated by pain, fear or anger. For all these reasons, I now only provide mediation services. I wish to help people with their family law matters in a way that is supportive of their mental health, financial wellbeing and most importantly, better outcomes for their children. There will be parent-teacher conferences, back to school nights, college, weddings, grandbaby birthdays, and everything in between. Mediation is the best first step to ensuring that even if parties cannot remain together, they remain good co-parents.