Outstanding training for basic mediation certification. Insightful, participative with amazing…read moreteacher who was able to offer a great deal of practical examples from her long history as a mediator.

I have called everyday multiple times a day for more then 20 days. I called 10 times today and no…read moreone answers the phone. I have even sent emails and no one responds. The lady on the voicemail has the nerve to say I will contact you in the next 48 hours. It has been 20+ days. The worst part is someone finally answered the phone and just stopped talking and let the call just run with silence. All I need is an appointment before my next court date and I am furious!

My ex Husband and I used Colin Family Mediation Group, and it was the best decision we could have…read moremade in a very emotional and financially draining process. I don't think divorce is ever easy, but Rick and Ellice certainly saved us from what was looking like a complete nightmare. We were on a hamster wheel of disagreements and back and forth, each one with the hefty price tag of our lawyers. I was skeptical that anyone could help us get to a point where we could agree on anything. Rick and Ellice were both such a blessing. They worked well as a team to keep us on topic, remain objective, help unscramble the emotions and get to the bottom of what needed to be sorted out. They worked really well as a team and made me feel like I was being heard- finally! They also had a lot of knowledge in regards to the law, and what was actually fair. In the end, we were able to avoid both of the trials that were set, and comet our own, non-traditional agreement that we felt worked best for us, and kept the best interest of our children at heart. We had a total of 4 sessions with them, it was a fraction of the cost of legal fees, and when we finally signed our agreement, it was like a weight of 1000lbs was lifted from both of us. I am very thankful for the experience.

I met Dr Colin through professional networking a few years ago and stayed in touch. I always…read moreregarded her highly for the nature of her work, helping people that are under huge stress, and for how professional she is. I reached out to her earlier this year wondering if she has any insight into the situation I was in, and she was so helpful. She not only has and shares the knowledge to help others, but also she deeply cares about them. When she listened to me, I felt I was "heard". Then she recommended a few professionals and how to evaluate them. I also had the opportunity to meet with one of the mediators in her group, Dorothy Taft, who was also caring and professional. I highly recommend Colin Family Mediation Group.

I would highly recommend Kales & Kales to any couples going through a divorce and wanting to keep…read morethings as civil and amicable as possible. We chose to work with Jonathan and Amy to save on the financial aspect of battling lawyers and to come to fair and equal agreements and decisions together with regards to our children and our assets after 20 years of marriage. They were very professional and responsive to our needs. They provided guidance and made this extremely painful process just a little bit easier. The collaborative approach worked for us and Jonathan and Amy made is as stress free as possible!

I found Jonathan Kales through a referral on a web site for collaborative attorneys after my ex and…read moreI decided to try the collaborative process. Agreeing to get divorced was tough, but from our first meeting, Jonathan made it clear how the process works, what I should expect to hear, what it would cost, and all the lawyerly business involved. But he also let me know that it was OK to feel, whether that was bad, sad, or mad, it was OK to feel something. Throughout the process, he gave me excellent counsel, both professionally and personally, which lowered my stress overall. It was clear that he was paying attention during the collaborative meetings, jumping in several times to keep her attorney from walking all over me, and protecting my interests from my own desire to simply get it over with. He helped me with a referral to an estate planning attorney who worked out well too. I am grateful for his help and caring manner. I hope that I never need a divorce attorney again, or that any friends need to ask who I used, but if they do, I can whole-heartedly recommended Jonathan Kales.

I contacted Ms. Graine about having her mediate a dispute between friends related to property. She…read moreadvised me that I should ideally look for someone versed specifically in real estate law rather than family law. She then took a great deal of time, at no cost, to help me understand the scope of her expertise vs the expertise of someone who would be ideally suited to my particular concern. She was both imminently kind and highly professionaI. I hung up the phone with a clear understanding of the right questions to ask someone else and a concrete plan for next steps. I cannot recommend her highly enough.

From the owner: Graine Mediation is your alternative to outrageous divorce lawyer fees and complex legal processes…read more Our firm has offices in Fairfax and Tysons and we are always happy to answer your questions -- free of charge. Robin Graine, JD, CDFA® has helped hundreds of divorcing couples successfully and efficiently mediate their divorce, custody, child support, alimony, and property settlement agreements. Robin knows how to keep you focused on key issues, expedite the divorce settlement process, reduce conflict, and save you money.