The undersigned Clients agree to engage Main Line Family Law Center, LLC. ("MLFLC") to assist them with their separation or divorce matter. Main Line Family Law Center agrees to employ its best efforts in providing Clients with the highest level of skill, competence, guidance and support throughout the entire mediation program until a marital settlement agreement for either separation or divorce is reached to the Client's complete satisfaction.
Scope of Services:
MLFLC will provide expert mediation services to assist Clients in achieving a comprehensive marital settlement agreement for either separation or divorce which resolves all of their rights and obligations towards one another. In addition to in-person parenting and financial mediation sessions with Clients, MLFLC's attorney-mediator will personally prepare the marital settlement agreement and also any additional drafts and re-drafts as necessary to obtain a final, legally binding agreement draft ready for the Client's signing and notarization. General tax guidance will also be provided during the mediation sessions. Step-by-step assistance with the administrative divorce filing procedure and preparation of all required county court forms. The scope of MLFLC's services also include comprehensive administrative case management, research, use of family law computer software for support calculations and tax projections, all materials, postage, e-mails, phone calls and complete professional support until either a separation agreement or final divorce decree is obtained.
Payment Policies:
All MLFLC program fee quotes are on a flat fee basis and designed to contain costs so that Clients can retain the most of their marital estate for their family’s financial future. Fee quote amounts are provided per person since often (but not always) mediation clients agree to split the fees. In certain instances, MLFLC may also customize its recommended Healthy Divorce R program to fit the Client's particular needs and budget. Clients may pay by either credit card or personal check. If by credit card, Clients will be required to complete a secure online credit card authorization form. If payment is by check, Clients will be required to provide all checks up front, with checks for future payment dates post-dated in advance.
Clients may decide to pay the total flat fee amount through one of the following payment options: 1) fee payment in full, 2) ½ of the total fee upon signing on and ½ in the next consecutive month, or 3) ⅓ of the total fee upon signing on and the second and third installments in the next two consecutive months in equal amounts.
Either MLFLC or Clients may elect to terminate the services at any time. If services are terminated, Clients may be entitled to receive a pro-rated refund of all fees paid for any unused services, with the refund amount, if any, to be determined on a case-by-case basis, and subject to any credit card transaction fees incurred by MLFLC in charging Client fees, as well as all administrative room facility fees incurred by MLFLC, and all work performed by MLFLC up to the date of termination. All refunds will be issued within 30-days of the date that services are terminated. Further, if a Client has an active case with MLFLC for a period greater than 30-days from the sign on date, and their file is terminated at any time thereafter by either MLFLC or Clients, they may be considered for a pro-rated refund of no greater than 1/3 of the total fees they have paid to MLFLC up until the date of termination of their file.
If a Client's matter languishes for a period of at least sixty (60) days without any activity, and such inactivity is caused solely by the Client, and their matter is terminated by either MLFLC or the Client, Client will not be considered for a pro-rated refund for any unused services paid up to the termination date.
If a Client's matter languishes for an unreasonable amount of time without any activity, and such delay is caused solely by the Client, MLFLC may elect to terminate their file and release them to litigation attorneys. If Clients subsequently wish to re-activate their file, they will incur a re-activation fee of $300.00, and also may incur additional fees for time spent in re-evaluating the Clients' file due to changed circumstances. If Clients’ mediation matter is terminated for any reason, they are issued a refund and then decide to return to mediation, the aforementioned refund policy will not apply to their next matter.
All mediation sessions generally run two (2) to three (3) hours in length. However, there may be times when sessions run overtime. In the interest of resolving all the issues in the Client's matter, and as a courtesy to the Client, MLFLC will allow a 30-minute overtime cushion with no additional charge to the Client, for a total potential maximum session time of 3.5 hours. After the 30-minute overtime cushion expires, Clients will decide whether they want to continue the session or return on another date for an extra session. If they decide to return for an extra session, the cost of the extra session will be $600.00 for two (2.5) to (3) additional hours of time. If they decide to continue with the session, they will be charged on a pro-rated basis of $600.00 for a two (2.5) to (3) hour time block.
Attorney-Mediator:
The Attorney-Mediator acts as an intermediary in accordance with Rule 2.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct and takes a position of total neutrality in the mediation sessions. The attorney-mediator will not take sides, offer any legal advice or represent any one party's interests but will seek to preserve the best interests of both parties and their family. The attorney-mediator will educate Clients on the basic concepts of the Pennsylvania divorce law while also assisting them in overcoming any impasses they may have in achieving a fully fair and balanced marital settlement agreement.
During the course of the mediation program, the attorney-mediator will discuss potential tax consequences that may be involved in the Client's settlement and will also run some basic tax projections with family law software. Clients understand and acknowledge that notwithstanding this tax guidance, the attorney-mediator is not a tax specialist and therefore does not render any tax advice. As such, clients are strongly advised to review their settlement terms with an independent tax accountant or tax counsel of their choosing prior to signing their final agreement draft.
In addition, although Clients can be assured that their attorney-mediator will generally provide information and guidance on their basic legal rights and interests in helping them to achieve a fair and balanced settlement agreement, they nevertheless acknowledge that they have been strongly advised to have their marital settlement agreement reviewed by an independent private attorney prior to signing it.
Parenting Mediator:
The Parenting-Mediator acts in accordance with the Ethical Principles of the American Psychological Association. Clients acknowledge and understand that this professional will not be providing any therapy services during their parenting meeting, nor does (s)he provide any legal advice or representation to either or both Clients. The Parenting-Mediator is a family behavioral therapist who is specifically trained in the mediation of family parenting and child custody issues and will be assisting clients exclusively in this role. The Parenting-Mediator can also offer Clients parenting coaching and strategies for their children through the transition until the divorce is finalized and MLFLC's services terminate.
Divorce and Life Coaches:
Divorce coaches do not provide traditional therapy services, but rather assist Clients in sorting out some of their deepest fears and concerns so that they are put at ease, while providing Clients with practical, real-world strategies designed to prepare them for the mediation sessions and to assist them in coping with the difficult life transition they are experiencing so that they can move forward in a positive direction towards a healthier and more productive future life. The coaches are available to Clients throughout the mediation program through MLFLC's Divorce Support Network and into their post-separation/divorce futures. Coaching sessions are optional at an additional cost, offered on an "as needed" basis and are arranged directly between Clients and their coach.
Divorce Financial Analyst/Planner:
Clients may opt to work with a recommended divorce financial analyst or financial planner through MLFLC's Divorce Support Network who can assist them in reaching a more fair and balanced settlement by projecting the value of the Client's settlement over a longer period of time, into retirement and also assist them in identifying their longer term financial needs and goals post-divorce. Financial analyst/planning sessions are optional for the My Healthy Divorce R program, although the use of a financial analyst/planner is strongly recommended in cases that involve significant asset investments and/or alimony obligations. The financial analyst/planner is not included in MLFLC's fee quote and can be elected as an additional service for a reasonable extra fee.
Other Fees and Costs:
Clients acknowledge that they may incur additional costs and expenses in obtaining a separation or divorce that are payable to others such as real estate, financial analyst/planner fees, retirement and business appraisal fees, county court filing fees, independent attorney draft reviews, accountant fees and costs, costs and fees in obtaining a Qualified Domestic Relations Order, if necessary, to divide any retirement accounts.
Confidentiality:
Clients acknowledge that mediation is an entirely confidential process. Anything discussed therein and any agreements that are reached between Clients in mediation are non-binding on any subsequent court proceedings. As such, MLFLC cannot engage in any discussions with private attorneys that Clients may have retained. MLFLC also will not respond 4 to any court subpoenas for any information that was produced during the course of the mediation sessions.
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