Divorce Mediation Attorney in Rhode Island

Resolving Divorce Disputes Amicably and Efficiently

“Mediation is the future in affordably solving the dissolution of a marriage and custody issues outside of the courtroom, with dignity, integrity, and without the usual emotional and financial cost that comes with a contested divorce or custody issues.” – Veronica Assalone, Esq.

At Assalone Lombardi, LLC, we provide a range of solutions in all types of divorce-related matters for clients throughout Rhode Island. Every attorney at our firm is a certified family law mediator. Founding attorney Veronica Assalone has more than 27 years of legal experience handling mediation in divorce proceedings. Our entire team understands first-hand that mediation is often the best way to resolve divorce disputes.

To discuss your case with our Rhode Island divorce mediation lawyers, call (401) 589-5599 or email us. We offer a free initial consultation.

The Benefits of Mediation

Mediation carries numerous benefits to everyone involved, including:

• A more amicable process: Mediation is the very best opportunity for divorcing parties to avoid the monumental emotional cost of a contested divorce.
• More efficient: In most cases, divorces can be obtained more quickly through mediation by bypassing the lengthy wait times for busy courts.
• More cost-effective: Divorce mediation is without a doubt the most affordable route for divorcing parties. Mediation can virtually save thousands of dollars by ensuring a satisfactory and realistic plan for the future. With mediation, the parties may share the expense of one mediator who has extensive legal experience while paying less than the average divorce attorney’s billable hour.
• Best possible outcome: Divorce mediation can serve to assist parties in creating the best agreement specifically for them.
• More control over the process: Mediation serves to empower divorcing parties to be the architect of their own divorce and to create the blueprint for their future without having strangers decide what is right for them.
• More private: Mediation assists divorcing parties in resolving their matter privately with integrity and a focus on the parties’ needs, while effectively avoiding possible intervention by the court, judges or lawyers.

Mediation offers the best approach for divorcing or separated couples to develop a parenting plan that is best for them and their family. Instead of the cookie-cutter approach that might be employed by the court, it is an individual plan that considers how both parents’ interests and the best interests of children can be achieved. In custody cases where children are involved, mediation can empower both parents toward cooperation that is future-focused and task-oriented for the best interest of their children.

Certified Mediators

We set ourselves apart from many other mediators in several ways. First, all of our attorneys are certified and trained mediators in the state of Rhode Island. Not all mediators possess the required training and certifications to hold themselves out as certified Rhode Island family mediators. Our team approach to our cases maximizes Veronica Assalone’s more than 20 years of legal experience.

We stay current with Rhode Island statutes and local Family Court practices so that the agreements reached in mediation are not only fair but also likely to be approved by the judge and enforceable in the Providence, Kent, or Washington County courthouses. This helps you avoid surprises later and gives you more confidence that the time you invest in mediation will result in a durable, workable agreement.

Compassionate and Aggressive

We are deeply compassionate with our clients, and we do everything we can to handle divorce matters through the mediation process whenever possible.

However, there are times when the other party will not work within the mediation process, and we have no choice but to handle the divorce in the court. When that happens, we are bulldogs in the courtroom who will fight for every advantage for you.

During your initial consultation, we talk openly about whether your situation is a good fit for mediation, including any history of coercion, substance use, or criminal charges that may be running through the Rhode Island court system at the same time as your divorce. If we believe that safety or fairness cannot be maintained in a mediation setting, we explain your options in Family Court and, when appropriate, how restraining orders or temporary orders can be pursued to stabilize things before further negotiation. This balanced approach allows you to pursue a cooperative resolution when it is realistic, while still having a clear plan if a more assertive path becomes necessary.

How to Approach Divorce Mediation

The following are several tips to ensure you approach divorce mediation with the right mindset:

• Be ready to compromise—Mediation is not about determining a winner and a loser. Rather, these sessions are all about working together to reach a mutual agreement on all divorce-related issues.
• Actively participate in the process—Mediators are not tasked to do all the work and make all the decisions on the couple’s behalf. They are only there to encourage communication and ensure each issue is thoroughly addressed. You and your spouse must both be active participants in the process.
• Consider your interests, not your positions—Trying to make demands or fighting over positions is only effective in court litigation, not divorce mediation. Instead, each spouse needs to have their interests heard. Many times, spouses may have similar interests, which enables the mediator to find creative solutions that satisfy both parties.
• Engage in “good faith” negotiation—Both parties must be willing to openly disclose all relevant divorce-related information to each other and the mediator. If you or your spouse attempts to hide assets, defraud each other, or are otherwise dishonest with one another, the mediation will be a failure.
• Take care of yourself during divorce—Divorce can be an emotionally overwhelming experience, taking a physical, mental, and emotional toll on your body. Enduring extreme levels of stress each day can negatively impact your diet, sleeping pattern, and day-to-day life. Make sure you eat well, exercise, and do things that you enjoy.

Many couples find it helpful to meet with individual counselors, financial planners, or co-parenting coaches before or during mediation so they come to the table with clearer priorities and realistic expectations. We regularly refer clients to trusted professionals in Rhode Island who understand how local Family Court orders work and can help you prepare budgets, review retirement accounts, or think through co-parenting schedules that fit your work hours and your children’s school calendars. 

Choosing Between Mediation and Litigation

Mediation is usually better suited to couples who can still communicate, are willing to exchange financial information, and want to shape their own agreement rather than leave everything to a judge. Litigation in Rhode Island Family Court can still be necessary when there is a history of domestic violence, serious power imbalances, or a complete breakdown in trust that makes open negotiation unrealistic.

We talk through how long each process might take, what your approximate level of court involvement will be, and how each option could impact issues like parenting time, support, and long-term financial planning. For some families, starting in mediation and reserving litigation as a backup provides a good balance of control and protection; for others, moving more quickly into court offers the stability and structure they need.

To discuss mediation with our Rhode Island divorce mediation attorneys, call (401) 589-5599 or email us. We offer a free initial consultation.

Our senior attorney, Veronica Assalone, is proficient in Spanish, French, German, Italian, and American Sign Language. Our office assistant speaks Spanish.

MILITARY DISCOUNT AVAILABLE.