Successful Divorce Mediation Oakland | Super Lawyer 2025

Divorce is stressful enough. Work with top divorce mediators Dina & Samira to take control of your case in Oakland, Ca offering the most comprehensive divorce mediation services.

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What is Divorce Mediation in Oakland County?

Divorce mediation is a great way to stay in control of your divorce in Oakland and throughout California. Unlike a traditional divorce which takes an average 2 years and can cost from $20,000.00 to $100,000.00+, mediation puts the couple in control of the process. As a result, the couple ends up with a high-quality agreement for a fraction of the cost and time. The mediator empowers the couple with family law options to maximize the community benefits, identify separate claims, and finalize the couple’s divorce. By providing these resources to the couple together, the couple rebuilds trust and teamwork to finish their divorce.

Your mediator can be a lawyer (attorney-mediator) or another certified third-party person (non-attorney mediator). At Families First Mediation, our mediators are family law attorneys with at least 20 years of family law experience. Our mediators pride themselves in creative agreements, which focus on important details like tax consequences and maximizing the benefits available to the parties compared to a traditional divorce process.

Roles of (Attorney) Mediators in Oakland, CA

The following are the important roles our mediators take on for the mediation to be successful:

Fostering Collaborative Communication and Giving Legal Information

Neutral Mediators play the crucial role of facilitating sound communication between spouses based on their divorcing goals. “FamiliesFirstMediation” Mediators use communication skills and help couples discuss different options to resolve their dispute on critical divorce matters
Our Oakland-based Attorney mediators can guide couples about the legal implications of the decisions made under the mediation process by legal frameworks and family law. They may also offer legal advice and draft legal documents.

Using Problem-Solving Skills to Identify Major Issues

Getting served with divorce papers is stressful. Imagine having to live your daily life with court hearings, papers, deadlines, depositions, discovery, and attorney conferences. It is incredibly stressful. Compare this to mediation. In mediation, you still have to work through your divorce (which is difficult) but the process works around your schedule and needs. You are working towards agreements, which increases the cooperative tone and de-escalates conflict.

Taking Help from Other Professionals for Effective Agreement

To resolve your dispute, Our qualified Families First Mediation Mediators may involve other professionals depending upon the complexities involved in the case. They might seek help from financial experts to resolve financial conflicts. The Mediators are well-trained to understand your emotions. Therefore, for severe circumstances and specific issues, they may talk to a mental health clinician, mental therapist, or child psychologist to ease the divorce process.

LEARN ALL ABOUT MEDIATORS

Meet Your Future Mediation Team

Dina Haddad, Esq.

Principal & Founder Attorney-Mediator

Dina is the founder and principal of Families First Mediation. Her mission is make A-class services available to clients at all socio-economic levels by providing her commitment to excellence at a fraction of the cost of traditional divorce options.

She has practiced family law in both Southern and Northern California, at some of the most prestigious law firms. She completed post-doctorate law degree in mediation, a Masters in Law in Alternate Dispute Resolution from the premier Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution. For more than 9 consecutive years, Straus was ranked the number one dispute resolution program by U.S. News and World Report. Straus received this honor again for 2018. Very few mediators, particularly in family law, have this unique training.

Phone Number:

(408) 357-3486

Email:

[email protected]

Samira Amato, Esq.

Divorce Attorney-Mediator

Deborah Yamashiro

Senior Paralegal

Elizabeth Stephens

Financial Mediator

Katherine Pearson

Case Manager & Paralegal

Families First Mediation Process

1

Start A Divorce

We will prepare and file the Petition and Response for the divorce or legal separation for you. These papers start your divorce case.

2

Mediate An Agreement

You will meet with the attorney-mediator and your spouse in working sessions. On average, parties need 6 sessions. The attorney-mediator will help you understand the law and provide you options for property division, parenting and child and spousal support. Using that information, the attorney-mediator will guide you to an agreement. We are looking for results that you understand and work for you, each other, and your family - both today and for your future.

3

Complete Disclosures

For every divorce and legal separation, you must exchange and complete financial disclosures. We will guide you through them so they are exchanged and done correctly

4

Divorce Judgment

We will put your agreements together in a final agreement, known as an MSA. We submit this to court to become your divorce judgment.

Top 10 Benefits of Divorce Mediations for Divorcing Couples in Oakland, CA

Divorce mediation comes with several benefits:

Post-divorce stability
Mutual Satisfaction
Flexibility and convenience
Privacy and confidentiality
Higher rate of compliance
Impartiality and time-effectiveness
Agreements are customized to your family’s needs
Peacefulness and less adversarial nature
Far more cost-effective
Child-centered and child-focused parenting approach

Expected Cost of Mediation in Los Angeles

“Online skilled mediators” can help spouses navigate their divorce negotiations, facilitate collaborative communication, and clarify major issues like property division and child custody, besides being fair and empathetic.
Our Families First Mediation Mediators in Los Angeles, CA, have helped thousands of couples agree on the specific terms of their divorces. “Families First Mediation ” Mediators have saved spouses from costly litigation with customized strategies suited to their family’s needs.

Following are the Services of Families First Mediation Mediators:

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F.A.Q

Virtual Sessions

Our mediation sessions are virtual. Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, we offered virtual sessions and relied heavily on technology to offer the best services to our clients and keep their costs down. We rely on secure methods to share documents, online calendaring, electronic payment options and other useful integrations. Unlike other divorce practices, you won’t find charges on your invoice for us to file or print your documents to paper.

What is co-mediation and how can it prove beneficial to my journey?

In co-mediation, two mediators work together to resolve disputes among parties. With co-mediation, parties get the expertise of two mediators, and these mediators share their knowledge, experience, and skills to reach the outcome. However, it can add some extra costs due to the involvement of two mediators for both parties. It also requires mediators who work exceptionally well with one another; otherwise, it’s likely the parties will be confused.

How can I find a divorce mediator in Oakland?

You can find a reputable divorce mediator in California by doing these steps:

• Search on Google or browse through online legal directories
• Reach out to family attorneys in Oakland and ask for referrals.
• Read and review the testimonials of mediators once you find them.

How can free video consultation work for my case in Oakland?

The mediator can understand your case (suitability of mediation to you) and divorce issues in a free video consultation. Additionally, they can communicate their strategies to resolve your disputes, their role as a neutral facilitator, and the risks associated with your divorce. You can also learn about their fee model in an initial discussion. In short, you can use the free video consultation for maximum benefit without spending money.

• Gather a basic understanding of the mediation process
• Familiarize yourself with your mediation concern to a mediator and know about different solutions.
• Evaluate the mediator regarding his communication, problem-solving skills, and suitability to your scenario.
• Use this strategy and get at the win-and-win situation before investing in mediation

How many mediation sessions are needed to complete my divorce in Oakland?

The number of sessions required in your mediation for simple divorce or complex cases can vary. The more complications there are, the more sessions will be required. Likewise, the couple’s willingness to compromise, complexity, information gathering (process), expert consultations, and mediator experience may also influence the number of sessions. Our Families First Mediations couples average 5–6 sessions. Here is a breakdown of the expected number of sessions based on the case types.

• Simple cases: 3–5 sessions
• Mid-size cases: 4–8 sessions
• Highly complex Cases: 8–12+