Pollock Begg Divorce Attorneys Awarded Mediation Certification

PITTSBURGH — Family law attorneys Candice L. Komar, founding partner, and Stephanie L. Jablon, senior associate, of Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC, recently received certification in mediation, allowing the boutique family law practice to offer mediation services to clients in addition to the full range of litigation services for which it is already well known.

A cutting-edge, growing family law trend, mediation is an alternative dispute resolution option in which the parties jointly hire a mediator to assist them in working out a mutually satisfactory agreement and obviate going to court.   Different mediation models have different recommendations as to whether the parties should also individually have their own attorney to provide advice and guidance outside the mediation sessions and in preparation for them.

“In the past, mediation was looked down upon by the traditional divorce litigators, but there has been a new thrust in avoiding litigation over recent years with arbitration, mediation, and most recently collaborative law, being sought as a way for parties to end their marriages.” Komar said.

While both Komar and Jablon are strong litigators with extensive experience in the courtroom, the mediation certification compliments their collaborative law practices and recognizes the growing requests by clients seeking alternative dispute resolutions.

“Clients are realizing mediation typically saves money in the long run, is private, faster and less stressful,” says Komar. “We evaluate our clients’ needs and advise the best strategy for each situation. Often litigation is the only answer, but increasingly mediation and collaborative law are the best solution. Incidentally, the skills learned in mediation and collaborative law actually compliment the management of the litigation cases we do.”

Both Komar and Jablon completed 40 hours of training respectively and were granted certification through the Association of Conflict Resolution, the nation’s largest professional association for mediators, arbitrators, educators, and other conflict resolution practitioners.

Komar has been listed in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers since 2005 and in Best Lawyers in America since 2008. Pennsylvania Super Lawyers has also ranked her among the Top 50 Women Attorneys in Pennsylvania and the Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh numerous times. The Pittsburgh Business Times has recognized her as one of the Top 25 Women in Business in Pittsburgh, and she has been singled out for profiles in both Super Lawyers and Pittsburgh Magazine for her collaborative law efforts and her leadership in business. She is a member of the family law section of the Allegheny County Bar Association and of the Collaborative Law Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania and the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. She is also a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Jablon is a member of the family law sections of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, Allegheny County Bar Association, and Allegheny County Matrimonial Inns of Court. She has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star every year since 2010, and is a member of the Collaborative Law Association of Southwest Pennsylvania.

About Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC
Founded in 2001, Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz LLC is a family law practice located in Downtown Pittsburgh. Pollock Begg is one of the largest firms dedicated solely to family law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a top-tier law firm as ranked by LexisNexis, Martindale-Hubbell and Best Lawyers, and is a champion for attorney pro bono work, volunteerism and community involvement. For more information, visit www.pollockbegg.com

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For more information contact:
Susan Paff
Ideality Communications, LLC
(724) 513-0316
Susan@IdealityCommunications.com