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Remember when Katy Perry and Russell Brand got married?  It was funny, sexy-cute girl meets funny-fanatical guy.  Their union took many by surprise and people everywhere began to fall in love with the idea of them as a couple, a very different couple.  Both equally admired by many everywhere, their marriage didn’t last very long, but when many thought their divorce might take a turn for the worst, they handled it fairly well and in a very short time.

Katy Perry and Russell Brand - Amicably Split!

Only 40 days and Katy and Russell were officially divorced.  How did they do it?  Many can learn from their very grown-up approach to splitting up.  The key to separating quickly, if two people are lucky enough to not be in a very upsetting and troubling situation is to take notes from Perry vs. Brand:

• They did not have a pre-nupital agreement
• They did not seek out high-profile attorneys to represent them
• They did not ridicule each other in public or in the media
• They worked out their divorce settlement together, resolving all of the financial terms of their marriage and separation
• Brand was entitled to 50% of Katy’s $44 Million in earnings, but he did not exercise his community rights

Given that their separation was as drama-free as it can be in Hollywood and among the L.A. crowd, we think they had many private conversations and sought the guidance of a mediator.  It’s not often that you see a high-profile break up like this go so well, especially when millions of dollars are at stake, but no matter what the situation, mediation can always help to make the transition much easier than traditional divorce.

We wish the best for Ms. Perry and Mr. Brand - keep the great music and movies coming!

The first gay couple to get married in California are sadly divorcing. Robin Tyler filed for a divorce from her long-time partner Diane Olson on Jan. 25. They had been together for 18 years and married in June of 2008 when it was legal for a short period to get married in California.

Robin Tyler and Diane Olson were the first married gay couple in California are getting a divorce

While it is disheartening to see two people who made history split up, the U.S. News reported this past summer that the states where gay marriage is legal have a lower divorce rate in both same-sex and different-sex unions. Gay marriages are less likely to end in divorce than straight unions, which is an ever greater reason for gay marriage to be legal and accepted everywhere.

It is unfortunate that Tyler and Olson, one of the same-sex couples who challenged California’s Prop 8 in court just filed for divorce, only weeks before a federal court deemed the state’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional. In any case, they have gone through some of the same things any straight couple would and marriage and divorce should be just as easy for them and any other gay couple.

A Fair Way Mediation wishes them the best as they divorce and hope they are able to split amicably, as divorce is never easy, and we always support long, loving marriages but we also know the reality that sometimes forever doesn’t always happen.

If you are considering divorce, ask us about mediation first and take our free evaluation:http://afairway.com/free-evaluation

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Celine C. Callahan, CA 9/24/2011

“Rich Gordon was extremely helpful as he really facilitated my ex-husband and I sort through our separation, preventing some of the stress associated with this very bad situation. It also prevented us to spend a lot more money that we would have if we had taken two separates lawyers. Rick was fair and never showed any preferences, making us agree on reasonable decisions that were pertaining to our situation.  The divorce papers were filed quickly. During this difficult period, Rich were sensitive and passionate as well, which helped me going through his difficult period”

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* Join us for a FREE webinar on January 17 at 10:30a.m. PST. This webinar is open to only 100 people so registration is encouraged as soon as possible. To register, please click on this link: http://bit.ly/v2l5Ds then click “Register”. On the registration form, enter your information and then click “Submit”. Once the host approves your registration, you will receive a confirmation email message with instructions on how to join the event.

Free Advice with Divorce and Mediation

There are still so many people that do not know about mediation and why it is so much better than traditional divorce.  I receive many questions when people first reach out to me about divorce and mediation.  It’s a tough time and there are so many things to consider, so much to learn about why mediation is better and many times people are either nervous, upset or depressed (or all of the above).

Primarily my role as a mediator is to listen to concerns, understand the situation, talk about differences between traditional divorce methods and the mediation process and set up a meeting for the couple to come in to see me in my office.  I provide a neutral safe setting and do not take the side of either party. My job is to listen to what the people are actually saying. When people come to mediation they have their own agenda. They hear what they hear, they do not hear the other parties’ contribution at all. My job is to be the interpreter, the person that hears what each side is saying, and relates it in a way that the second party will understand. Then they can make decisions about how best to come to a resolution.

If you’re reading this because you want to work things out with your partner or you are set on separating and want to make it as easy of a process as possible, I am here to listen and answer your questions and evaluate your circumstances for free.  I’ve been helping couples for close to 20 years now and have helped people work through so many difficult situations.  Please call me directly or click here to fill out our free evaluation and I will call you.

Best to you,

Richard Gordon, B.A., M.A. & J.D.

“Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” ~ Unknown

In 2011, a couple came to A Fair Way Mediation Center and said that they had each spent $50,000 by taking the traditional route to divorce.  They never ended up getting a divorce because they couldn’t afford the fees any longer and their own attorney fired them for not paying.  Since then, they have been working with us and when all is said and done, they will spend thousands less.  They will also avoid showing up in court and the overall process for them has been much easier and calmer.

On January 17 we will host a free webinar about divorce and mediation.  It’s the perfect opportunity to ask questions off the clock and see whether mediation is best and what alternatives and opportunities are available.  One of the things we will discuss is why mediation saves money and why it is less stressful.   We meet people all the time who have tried traditional divorce and have just been burned in the end.  In order to further educate the public, our webinar will be very educational, allowing for questions and follow-up communication.

Please sign up today as there are only 100 openings for registrants.  Sign up easily and quickly here: http://bit.ly/v2l5Ds Here is more information:

A Fair Way Mediation Center will be holding a free webinar called “A Fair Way Mediation, The Basics of Divorce, Part 1.”

During the webinar, A Fair Way Mediation Center’s will provide free divorce advice, allow for questions by attendees and all participants will receive a copy of the webinar by email, which will include Mr. Gordon’s email address where additional questions may be posed. The webinar is scheduled for January 17, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. Pacific Standard Time.

Take a look at this video: How Mediation Saves Money

Please find us on YouTube,  Twitter and Facebook for mediation and personal wellness facts, tips and resources.

Jane S. San Diego, CA  9/27/2011

“Rich was wonderful to work with during a difficult time.  I am thankful that he was able to assist us with talking through things that we could not talk about on our own.  I feel that he really cares about people and is easy to work with.  The savings is nice with mediation but most important is being able to resolve issues and remain friends as we’ve been able to do.  We have Rich to thank for guiding us in the right direction”

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