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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!

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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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

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When choosing a Mediator, think of the bond you seek with a doctor or a therapist.  There needs to be trust, expertise on behalf of the professional, and above all, you need to like that person, especially if they are going to get to know you in such a personal way.

Qualifications and expertise need to be accounted for first and then there needs to be an evaluation of interpersonal skills.  You need to determine if this is a person you can bond with. Everyone has their own way in which they expect people to act, how they expect to be treated, what they expect of another person’s morals and values and of course how they expect to do business.

When choosing your Mediator, do your homework and call a couple people.  Talk to them in person or over the phone.  Look for someone that possesses the following: emotional stability and maturity, integrity, neutrality, and sensitivity.

A great Mediator possesses the ability to listen, to clarify issues, to educate his or her clients, to be sensitive, and most of all, to be fair.

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