What is the Cost?

A primary motivation for couples to resolve their legal issues through the settlement process is to avoid the customary and often excessive fees and expenses of litigation. At Settlement Works, our process is designed to be time efficient and cost effective - especially when compared to the costs of going to court.

For example, through the typical litigation process, the cost of modifying one simple issue, such as the amount payable as child support, would be approximately $8,000 (each party paying an attorney for 10 hours of work at $400 per hour). By contrast, the typical Settlement Works charge would be $1,450 (one three hour session = $1,200 plus a $250 documentation expense).

At the other extreme, a litigated custody dispute usually costs at least $25,000 to $35,000 and often exceeds $50,000. Resolving those same issues through five sessions of the Settlement Works process would cost less than $6,500.

Our fees are billed at $400 per hour so a typical 3 hour session will cost $1,200. The fee for preparation of a formal document to be submitted to the Court and other time spent outside of mediation (phone calls, correspondence, etc.) is charged at a reduced rate of $250 an hour. These expenses are typically split evenly between the parties, although a different division of fees can be arranged by agreement.

To not burden the parties and to most effectively operate, we do not require a retainer fee for our services. We have a pay as you go policy which means payment is expected at the conclusion of each of the mediation session.