Andrea J. Coleman, Esq.

Andrea J. Coleman, Esq. is a lawyer with many years experience in Family Court and extensive training in divorce mediation. She has worked with many families undergoing difficult situations and is familiar with and sensitive to their needs.

Andrea approaches each mediation with the following concepts in mind:

• To listen to each party
• To make sure each party is completely heard
• To help spur creative ways to solve problems that have seemed intractable
• To achieve a resolution that satisfies both parties

Professional Background

Andrea J. Coleman is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and New York Law School. She spent the bulk of her career, over ten years, working in Family Court. For over seven years, she worked at The Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Division, representing children in a wide variety of cases, including neglect, abuse, delinquency, PINS, and custody matters. For the remainder of that period, she was in private practice, where she represented children and adults in the same types of cases as well as in paternity, family offense, and support matters. Prior to working in Family Court, she worked for three years at the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, bringing lawsuits against businesses that engaged in deceptive trade practices. She also spent three years working as a hearing examiner at the NYC Department of Health.

She is a member of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the Family and Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York, and the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation. She is a volunteer mediator at the Center for Interpersonal Development, where she received training in general and divorce mediation. She also received training at the Center for Family & Divorce Mediation, where she participated in a practicum.

How Mediation Works

The mediator remains neutral throughout the discussions, listening to both sides, helping them analyze the various issues, helping them generate options, and helping them come to agreement. 

The mediator does not impose a solution; all decisions are made by the parties themselves in keeping with their needs and values.  If agreement is reached, the mediator can prepare a separation agreement, which ultimately becomes part of the divorce decree.

Mediation is much quicker and more cost-effective than adversarial proceedings, and is less stress-inducing for the entire family.  While every mediation is different, many can conclude within four to six two-hour sessions.  In addition, the results are more likely to be tailored to the needs of the family since they are created by the family rather than by a stranger (a judge).

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ATTORNEY ADVERTISING. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

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