We understand that family disagreements about an important issue can become emotional and that a peaceful outcome can seem to be impossible. But sometimes, having an experienced and independent professional involved can introduce new options or help to overcome objections regarding a controversial issue. Without intending to be disrespectful of our court systems, we believe that the best solutions are those which are reached outside of a courtroom.
We are not professional therapists and we do not practice the type of family law which arranges divorce or general family litigation. However, our ability to listen with compassion allows us to hear what is at the core of the various concerns. Our experience includes dealing with complicated issues such as resistance to change, caregiver burnout, challenges of involving remote siblings, acknowledging and dealing with dementia, division of family wealth, and the sudden escalation of unresolved family matters that have been simmering for decades.
Our interest in family disagreements is to be an advocate for the oldest person involved, which is usually the parent or grandparent. Typically, we will not represent children in actions against a parent, or one sibling in an action against another, such as in relation to a will contest. We will represent a child who is acting as the agent for the parent by authority given in a Power of Attorney document.
One of our attorneys has advanced training in “elder mediation.” This focused discipline offers a deliberate process which can lead to agreement and compromise on complicated issues without the need of a courtroom. Involvement of other attorneys to help represent the interests of disputing parties can be accommodated by the process.
We also have a licensed medical professional on our staff. We cooperate with other professionals as needed to make sure that your family’s issues are properly understood. If you intend to use our services to help your family resolve a disagreement, please make that clear at the time of your initial contact to our office. We wish to avoid potential conflicts of interest which could interfere with the process of resolving the disagreement.
For additional information or questions, give us a call at 717-697-3223.
