May 26, 2006, MANCHESTER, NH:— The law firm of McLane, Graf, Raulerson & Middleton, Professional Association is proud to announce that Jeanmarie Papelian has completed the New Hampshire Marital Mediation Training Program to assist families with the changes taking place in the New Hampshire Family Courts. Attorney Papelian completed the New program offered to experienced family law practitioners willing to serve in this important role.
New legislation and court rules will emphasize alternative dispute resolution in domestic relations matters. Under the new statewide Family Court rules coming into effect, parties in most divorce cases will be ordered to mediate their differences. These changes are based on a recognition that while divorce ends a marriage, more amicable relationships can be salvaged by avoiding the unpleasantness of litigation.
As a marital mediator, Jeanmarie will be appointed by the court or selected by parties to serve as an impartial third party, assisting and enabling consenting parties involved with divorce or custody cases to reach a satisfactory settlement of the issues in dispute out of court.
Now co-chair of the Domestic Relations practice group at the McLane Law Firm, Jeanmarie has been handling complex marital dissolutions, contested custody disputes, alimony and child support matters for clients of the firm for more than12 years, both in and out of the courtroom.
“In our practice, we work with many professional couples who are experienced in negotiating; who understand the issues; and who wish to avoid the unpleasantness, and waste of time and money consumed through litigation,” said Papelian. “They prefer to handle the matter amicably and keep it within the family to resolve.”
Jeanmarie is also a member of the Collaborative Law Alliance of New Hampshire. In a collaborative law case, each party seeks representation from an attorney who agrees to settle the case outside the court. Jeanmarie is one of a select number of New Hampshire attorneys who are qualified and authorized to resolve such disputes collaboratively.
“There are a number of ways to settle without litigation,” said Papelian. Depending on the circumstance, and if parties are agreeable at heart, we can often come to agreement without stepping foot in a courtroom.”
About the McLane Law Firm
Founded in 1919, the McLane Law Firm has grown to the largest full-service law firm in the state of New Hampshire, with offices in Manchester, Concord and Portsmouth. Driven by the firm’s depth of sophisticated legal expertise and an unwavering commitment to client service, McLane has built collaborative and lasting relationships with a broad spectrum of domestic and international clients.