Laura A. Wasser

Wasser has long been an advocate for mediating family law matters whenever possible and staying out of court.

"We try to get our clients to work through their differences in mediation," she said. "We work with opposing counsel and retired judicial officers or the conciliation court downtown and come up with viable alternatives."

She also has been active in VAST - Voluntary Attorney Settlement Teams - where seasoned family law attorneys volunteer their time to the courts to mediate family law disputes.

"Sometimes litigants and lawyers can get too wrapped up in winning or losing," Wasser said. "But if you have objective third parties who have been there, it gets done."

Also, by helping the parties resolve their matters in a mediation, Wasser said, "We cut down on the unbelievable backlog in court."

The families who use this service appreciate it, Wasser said.

"They know what we charge per hour and we are not charging them," she said. "Attorneys are expensive and the process can be lengthy."

It's a message that is reflected in the book she published last year, "It Doesn't Have to be That Way: How to Divorce Without Destroying Your Family or Bankrupting Yourself," now in its second printing.

"Everybody who comes to see me the first time says, 'I have no idea how this works,'" Wasser said. "Why would they?"

Wasser said that she encourages her clients to think outside the box, instead of sitting in a courtroom.

"Be the master of your own destiny," she said "The courts are so congested and the judges just don't have the resources or time to get a full understanding of the personal issues regarding your kids before they make a decision."

Wasser added. "Litigants don't realize that until they get there. Then they think, 'Why didn't I get that worked out before?'"

<< PAT BRODERICK