Virginia Attorneys to Facilitate Workshop in Front Royal for Mediators

Front Royal, VA, August 25, 2018 --(PR.com)-- Virginia attorneys Brenda Waugh and Marshall Yoder will share their experience with mediators throughout the region in an upcoming conference in Front Royal, Virginia on October 9, 2018, "What Every Mediator Should Know About (and can learn from) Collaborative Practice.” The hour-long course has been approved by the Virginia Supreme Court of Virginia for one continuing education credit for mediators. The session is part of a full day seminar offered by Mediation Training Coalition, L.L.C. titled, “Mediating Family Cases: Five Workshops.” Other professionals who will be leading workshops include Peter W. Buchbauer, J.D. Lisa Herrick, Ph.D., Jeannette Twomey, and Danny Burk, J.D. During their interactive workshop, Ms. Waugh and Mr. Yoder will invite participants to share their experiences in mediation and explore how mediators, like collaborative professionals, work to create deep, durable parenting agreements for families when families are divorced. They will explore the factors that a family might consider when deciding between mediation and collaborative law in a divorce. Ms. Waugh described the process. “Years ago when a couple decided to divorce, one would hire a lawyer and file a complaint. The sheriff would serve it on the other party and then the negotiations would start. Fortunately, couples have two other options today: collaborative divorce and mediation.” She describes collaborative divorce as a specific process during which the parties retain specially trained attorneys who work with the parties, and other professionals, to develop a mutually beneficial property settlement agreement and parenting plan. Like collaborative practice, mediation leaves the decision making with the parties. In mediation, the parties may have lawyers, or they may also be proceeding pro se. Mediation does not typically include the experts, such as financial neutrals, that collaborative divorce often includes. Additionally, in a collaborative divorce, the parties must agree to reach a decision before the court is involved. Mediation may be used in any stage of divorce litigation.

Both Ms. Waugh and Mr. Yoder have practiced law for over thirty years and are graduates of Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice and Peace. Ms. Waugh practices law, and works as a mediator and restorative justice facilitator in private practice in Virginia, District of Columbia and West Virginia in her solo practice. Mr. Yoder is an attorney with the firm of Wharton, Aldhizer &Weaver in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Both Ms. Waugh and Mr. Yoder are members of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

When asked about what she hopes that members attending the workshop will gain, Ms. Waugh said, “I am hoping that mediators will leave with not only an understanding about how clients may have a mediators to both the concept of collaborative practices and to introduce them to how CP can be a good influence on their mediation practice." For more information, Ms. Waugh can be reached at waugh@brendawaugh.com.