We offer divorce mediation services via conference call or in person. We also process uncontested divorces and represent individuals in negotiated cases.

Our firm offers a range of legal services to meet the needs of anyone who is involved in a divorce, separation, or Family Court matter. Marilyn has over 30 years of experience in divorce, family law, and mediation. She will analyze your situation and discuss how we can best assist you to achieve your goals. After we have explored possible options, we will decide together how to proceed in order to get the results you want.

We encourage our clients to do as much as they can on their own in order to minimize legal fees. Some matters, such as uncontested divorces, are billed at a flat rate so that you will know exactly what your total cost will be. Marilyn’s negotiating skills result in settlement of an overwhelming majority of cases.

Our policy is to send drafts of correspondence to our clients prior to sending it to opposing attorneys so that you can make sure that we fully understood what you asked us to communicate on your behalf. We return our telephone calls.

REVOLUTIONARY NEW CONCEPT IN MEDIATION SERVICES - MEDIATION WITHOUT WALLS  (NO OFFICE VISITS)

Marilyn maintains an office for face-to-face meetings. However, most clients prefer to participate in mediation sessions by conference call. Each participant finds a convenient private place (each in a separate location). Calls can be set up for evenings or weekends as well as during the day. Documents are emailed, faxed, or sent by regular mail.

Clients save the time and money they would otherwise expend in driving to an office. In addition, many couples are more comfortable discussing custody, support and property distribution when they are not in the same room together.

Couples often find that they can keep a conference call appointment during the working day that would be impossible if office visits were required. The process is especially helpful when parties are separated geographically, for example when one person has already moved out of state, or is overseas on a military assignment.

Our goal is to offer a unique service which gets our clients through the separation and divorce process in a timely cost-effective manner.  

AREAS OF PRACTICE

• Separation Agreements
• Mediation
• Custody & Parental Access (Visitation)
• Child Support
• Spousal Maintenance
• Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements
• Living Together Agreements
• Dissolution of a Relationship
• Arbitration: Family Dispute & Divorce
• Early Neutral Evaluation

MARILYN A. WESTLAKE, ESQ.

Divorce Mediation has been my area of concentration since 1986. I have represented clients in a full range of legal issues, including divorce, child custody, parental access schedules (visitation), child support, grandparent rights, and adoption.

My career in law started when I graduated from New York Law School in the top 12% of my class. This was followed by a year working for the Department of Transportation in Washington D.C., and five years in Asia: Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia.

I retired as Acting Justice for the Village of Fayetteville in 1995. In 1994, I held a position as an adjunct professor of Family Mediation at SUNY Oswego. I am frequently called upon to present programs and judge negotiating competitions for the Alternative Dispute Resolution Society at SU College of Law. I have been a volunteer mediator for Child Find of America, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to reuniting parents and children who are the victims of parental abduction.

In addition to my legal background, I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and a Masters in Counseling, both from Syracuse University.

My husband and I have a total of four children, two of whom were adopted (one from the Philippines and one from Peru). We have two grandchildren.

Most recently, I became a pioneer in a new concept in divorce and family mediation by founding “Mediation Without Walls.” There is no longer any reason for clients to take the time to drive to my office. I am available by phone. Mediation clients can take advantage of this program by using conference call technology. Each party receives a call in their separate location. Documents are exchanged via email attachments or regular mail. “Mediation Without Walls” allows me to offer efficient mediation services to clients throughout New York State, as well as NYS residents who are located throughout the world.

Court Admissions: New York State, Federal District Court, Supreme Court of the United States

Professional Affiliations:

• New York State Bar Association
• Onondaga County Bar Association
• Association for Conflict Resolution
  

Accomplishments: A founder and past steering committee member of the Children 1st! education program for separating and divorcing parents. Co-founder and past chair of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the Onondaga County Bar Association.

Articles Written

Dissolution of Marriage in New York

Created On: 04/29/2010

To file for a divorce in New York State, you must meet the residency requirement. You or your spouse must live in New York at the time the divorce papers are filed. In addition you must meet one of the following requirements...

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Marilyn Westlake

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Locations : Ithaca, NY; Locke, NY; Syracuse, NY

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