Phoenix Divorce Mediation
Mr. Bishop serves as a mediator at both our Phoenix and Tempe offices. Most of Mr. Bishop’s mediation cases involve parties that are represented by attorneys. However, Mr. Bishop also offers his mediation services to people involved in divorce and other family law matters that are not represented by attorneys.
What is Mediation?
Mediation is a process to attempt to settle the issues involved in litigation. Mediation is a form of Alternate Dispute Resolution (“ADR”), which means a process to settle disputes outside of Court and without having a trial. Our firm provides mediation services including divorce and other family law disputes. Mediation is different than Arbitration (see later discussion at the bottom of this page). During the mediation process, the mediator will assist both parties in resolving their disputes and drafting documents which formalize the agreements reached.
During mediation the parties meet with a neutral professional (i.e., the mediator) in order to negotiate agreements and to hopefully avoid further court proceedings. You can meet with a mediator at any time before the case is final (i.e., before the case is filed, or at any time during the case). Mediation can take place for all family law issues – i.e. divorce, parenting issues, modifications, enforcement issues, etc. Mediators are generally attorneys that specialize in the area of law or former judges who have experience in the area of the law.
Depending upon their mediation approach, it is important to realize that many mediators will attempt to settle your case but will not tell you whether the settlement is fair or advise you on what you should do to obtain a fair settlement. Rather their main focus is for the most part limited to exploring what each of the parties is willing to do to compromise. Other mediators are willing to provide more analysis regarding the settlement and take steps to ensure both parties have adequate information to reach a fair settlement.
William D. Bishop has a separate mediation practice called AZ Premier Mediation. You can schedule your mediation by calling the same number as our law firm – (602) 878-3133. Just make sure to let our office know that you are interested in mediation services up front. Both parties must agree to mediation and who is going to act as your mediator. You cannot retain our firm to be both your attorney and your mediator as this would create a conflict of interest (i.e., mediators cannot serve as both your attorney and the mediator). If you have not hired our firm and would like to explore having Mr. Bishop serve as the mediator in your case, please contact our office and let our office manager Carolyn know that you are interested in mediation – (602) 878-3133.
Our FAQ
Have questions? We are here to help. Still have questions or can't find the answer you need? Give us a call at 602-878-3133 today!
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In many cases, especially ones that are uncontested, you may be able to represent yourself. The Supreme Court Office of Administration has family law and other forms available online at the Self Service Center. You can obtain forms and packets in person from at the Self Service Center located in the Superior Court facilities. Maricopa County forms are available online at the Maricopa County Superior Court website. See our page on How to Find Arizona Family Law Forms.
These forms are free of charge or provided for a nominal sum. There is often no reason to hire a paralegal to simply fill out your forms, nor is there any reason to purchase forms at a “forms store.” If you have questions regarding your forms, you can simply schedule a ½ or 1-hour conference with our firm to make sure you receive proper advice.
Arizona does allow for certified document preparation services. These people should never be confused with a qualified and experienced family law attorney (very few are attorneys). You do not need to go to law school to be a certified document preparer. Some services are pretty good, but we have seen some documents prepared that were frankly horrible and left the client in very bad shape financially or otherwise. Document preparers cannot by law provide you with legal advice, although we have heard many stories that they did provide in fact provide legal advice and it was often not good. If all the document preparation company can do is fill out forms, you should ask yourself why you can’t just do that yourself and save some money. If you do so, however, you should at least consult with an attorney before agreeing upon financial and parenting terms in order to ensure that your forms are done properly, that the terms are enforceable, and that you are protected.
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One does not have to have any special training or certification to call themselves a paralegal in Arizona. Some people who call themselves paralegals have never even worked for a law firm. Although there are schools for paralegals and certifications, one does not need to go to school or obtain any certifications to call themselves a paralegal. Although there are undoubtedly some excellent paralegals, it is difficult to find out who has the experience and training necessary to assist you in more complex cases. Paralegals are precluded by the Supreme Court Rules from providing any legal advice, although some do – often poor advice, which leads to major problems.
Many people have had very bad experiences with independent paralegal services. Often the forms are not prepared properly, causing unnecessary delays. Paralegals sometimes attempt to represent both sides, which is a conflict of interest, or align themselves with one side. Many people are not protected in the end. The biggest insult is that people sometimes end up paying more for a paralegal than they would have paid for a family law attorney to take care of them properly. Paralegals cannot represent you in court.
Paralegals are not subject to the jurisdiction of the State Bar of Arizona. If your attorney does something wrong, he or she may be subject to discipline. There are strict rules of conduct which govern attorneys. There are no such safeguards with regard to paralegal services.
Like many family law firms, Bishop, Del Vecchio & Beeks Law Office, P.C. has paralegals on staff. Our paralegals have been trained by our attorneys and are under the direct supervision of our attorneys. Our use of paralegals generally saves our clients fees based on their lower hourly rates. At the same time, our attorneys are involved in all aspects of your case.
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If possible, it is always in your best interests to consult with a family law attorney before you move out of your residence or file for divorce, even if you decide to represent yourself. What happens early on in a case may turn out to be very important. For example, we generally recommend having at least a temporary parenting agreement in place before you move out of the marital residence if you have children. We also recommend that you videotape all contents of the home so that you can ensure that all items can be identified and are divided equitably. We may also recommend that you scan or photocopy financial records stored in the home.
Each case is different, and many of our clients have special circumstances. Again, some “preventive medicine” may save you a lot of heartache and headaches in the future.
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One of the most overlooked issues during the early stages of the divorce or other family law proceedings is the possibility that one spouse will have to pay all or a portion of the other spouse’s attorney fees and costs. This can become very costly if you not only have to pay your own fees but end up having to pay your ex’s fees as well. Talk about salt in the wound!
A good divorce lawyer / family law attorney will keep this in mind at all times. The two main factors that a Court looks at when awarding attorney fees is the parties’ comparable financial resources (does one party make more income or have more property, etc.) and whether either party took unreasonable positions. Thus, it is important for the lawyer to behave ethically and reasonably while at the same time fighting for your rights. Sometimes people say they want a “junkyard dog” for an attorney. Such an attorney does more harm than good. The judges often know who these attorneys are and may place little credibility on the arguments presented by such attorneys. An attorney who writes scathing and nasty letters to the other side, and makes unfounded accusations without any evidence behind such claims, often sets their own clients up for failure and exposure to paying the other party’s attorney fees and costs.
At Bishop, Del Vecchio & Beeks Law Office, P.C., we pride ourselves on advocating strongly for our clients and placing them in the best position for success while also keeping in mind the cost of litigation. During the proceedings, we take the appropriate steps and advise our clients in a manner that increases the possibility to recover all or a portion of their attorney fees, or that limits their exposure to paying the other party’s attorney fees.
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If you and your spouse agree to all issues regarding your divorce proceedings, Bishop, Del Vecchio & Beeks Law Office, P.C. can draft settlement documents in order to avoid going to trial. Our firm attempts to identify and resolve all of the issues in your case without expensive legal fees associated with a trial so long as the issues can be settled in a manner that is fair and equitable to you.
Our website has excellent information regarding alternate dispute resolution and mediation services designed to assist you in settling your case, which you can access by clicking here.
Watch the Following Video to Learn More
Awards & Associations
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 Edition
Bishop, Del Vecchio & Beeks Law Office Attorneys Honored, including “Lawyer of the Year.”
Client Testimonials
See What Our Clients Are Saying About Us
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“I could not have felt more comfortable than I did with Mr. Bishop as my Attorney.”- Anthony L.
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“I recommend Bill Bishop to anyone in need of legal help in a family matter and I will continue to do so.”- Matthew T.
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“Again just a quick note but I wanted to send a quick thank you to show my gratitude.”- M.S.
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“I wanted to write to you and thank you and your staff for an outstanding job you did on my divorce case.”- Michael S.
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“I wanted you to know I truly appreciate everyone I have dealt with at the firm.”- J. Quan
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“Jackie was able to resolve and finalize everything in less than a week, despite resistance from the other party.”- Terron J.
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“Since the day I met you I knew you were looking out for the best interest of my son.”- Olga A.
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“I would highly recommend her services.”- Meagan M.
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“I would definitely recommend Dan to anyone seeking an attorney to represent them in a divorce.”- Tom O.