Mediation

CLEAR WATER PNW – Mediation Where Your Family is Our Focus

Mediation offers an alternative to Court-based Litigation that allows Participants to maintain control over the decisions that affect themselves and their families. Whether you are navigating a Divorce, a Custody matter, or another Family Law dispute, Mediation can be a cost-effective, private, and collaborative path to resolution.

At CLEAR WATER PNW,  Leslie R. Bottimore is a Certified Mediator with over 25 years of experience helping families resolve disputes in a forum that works for them. We offer several styles of Mediation, each suited to different circumstances and needs. Reach out today to Schedule your Case Evaluation and learn which approach may be right for you.

Our Mediation Services

Evaluative Mediation 

Evaluative Mediation is a more Directive approach to Mediation, useful in matters where the Participants have been engaged in Litigation and Discovery and seek to avoid the need for Trial. Shuttle Diplomacy is exercised with the Participants in separate rooms, whether in person or by Zoom Breakout Rooms. Participants may be represented by Counsel. Counsel provides Advocacy, Legal Advice, Drafting of Legal Documents, Oral Arguments to the Superior Court. The Evaluative Mediator – having been a long-time Divorce and Family Law Attorney and former Pro Tem Judge – can offer subject matter knowledge and direction to the Participants to facilitate an Agreement.  

Facilitative Mediation 

Facilitative Mediation is less Directive yet very effective in early Mediation and involves the Participants and the Mediator in the same room, whether in person or by Zoom. Often, Participants appear without Counsel. As with any style of Mediation, the Mediator cannot substitute as Counsel, is not practicing Law, and serves as a neutral. If Counsel are present, they are asked to allow the Participants to engage in their process. As a neutral, the Facilitative Mediator leads the Participants from behind to a “Common Ground” and Agreement. This method is often referenced in the Dispute Resolution Section of Participants’ Final Parenting Plans, often becoming the preferred forum in the event of future disputes in joint decision-making.

Narrative Mediation 

Narrative Mediation is a type of Mediation whereby the Mediator guides the Participants to reframe their negative story into a positive story, helping the couple to recall all of the wonderful and beautiful things that brought them together in the first place, along with all of the wonderful and beautiful memories that shape where they are today to enable them to resolve their Divorce and Family Disputes to create a positive outcome for each other and for their children (if the Participants have children) and to facilitate an Agreement.

Insight Mediation 

Insight Mediation involves the Mediator engaging in further inquiry to enable the Participants to arrive at their own solutions with the guidance of the Mediator. It may involve one or more initial separate one-on-one Sessions with each Participant and then a Joint Session or Joint Sessions to arrive at an Agreement.

Mediator is Not Acting as a Lawyer

With any style of Mediation, the Mediator cannot substitute as Counsel, is not practicing Law, cannot give legal advice, cannot prepare pleadings or Court Orders, does not appear in Court, does not testify, and serves as a neutral. Each Participant has the option and the right to consult with independent Legal Counsel. The Mediation process is private and Confidential.  The Mediator prepares the written Memorandum of Understanding, Final Agreement, or CR 2A Settlement Agreement memorializing the Agreement.  

Why Choose CLEAR WATER PNW for Mediation?

As a Certified Mediator with over 25 years of experience in Divorce and Family Law and 9 years of service as a Pro Tem Judge and Pro Tem Court Commissioner, Leslie R. Bottimore understands both sides – and often a third side – of the table. She describes herself as a “Possible-ist” – considers that every problem has a solution – and believes in self-determination as an important value for her clients.  That perspective allows her to guide Participants through the Mediation process with the skill and insight needed to help clients to reach positive and meaningful resolutions.

Mediation is not just for simple or low-conflict cases with “amicable” Participants.tn  Some of the most high-conflict Divorces and Family Law matters can be resolved through Mediation. The same issues, the same conflicts, the same disputes, and the same decisions are all present, just in a different forum. At CLEAR WATER PNW, we help Participants navigate that process with care, no matter how complex the circumstances.