A shared mortgage, two careers, and twelve years of joint accounts.
Marcus and Diane had already decided. They weren't fighting — they were just stuck. The house was worth $640,000 with $280,000 remaining on the mortgage. Neither wanted to sell it. Their daughter was finishing her junior year. They needed a plan that didn't require a courtroom referee.
Diane called first. Marcus had agreed to mediation but hadn't committed to a date. During the 20-minute intake, it became clear the core issue wasn't the house — it was the pension. Marcus had 14 years vested; Diane had 6. They hadn't looked at the numbers together in three years.
Both arrived on time. The table was set with a single document: a balance sheet of their shared assets, prepared in advance. No surprises, no ambushes. Within 45 minutes, they had agreed on the house: Marcus would refinance and buy out Diane's equity at $182,000. The pension conversation was harder — it took most of the session.
Marcus believed his pension should be calculated from his hire date, not the date of marriage. Diane's position was clear: the marital portion was the marital portion. We pulled the plan documents together and ran the QDRO estimate in the room. The number was $47,200. Marcus sat quietly for a moment, then said: "That's fair."
Session two covered the remaining accounts, the vehicle, and a brief review of their daughter's college fund — untouched by agreement. The signed Memorandum of Understanding was ready for attorney review on day eighteen.
Estimated litigation cost: $28,000–$45,000. Accord total: $2,400.
"I expected it to feel like a deposition. It felt more like a meeting with someone who actually read the file."
— Diane, 44, secondary school administrator
Two parents, one child, and a calendar that needed to survive the school year.
Priya and Kevin had been separated for four months when they came in. Their son Arjun was seven. Kevin traveled for work — three weeks on, ten days home. Priya had primary care. The school was equidistant from both apartments. The disagreement wasn't about love; it was about logistics, and logistics had become leverage.
Both parents were interviewed separately. Kevin's concern was clear: he feared a permanent schedule written around his current travel cycle would lock him out as his role changed. Priya's concern was equally clear: she needed predictability. Arjun had started wetting the bed again.
We opened with a single question: what does Arjun need that neither of you can provide alone? The room shifted. Kevin talked about Arjun's baseball games — he'd missed four. Priya talked about homework help on the nights Kevin was gone. We weren't building a custody schedule yet; we were building a shared picture of a seven-year-old.
Kevin wanted a 50/50 schedule written into the agreement. Priya believed the current reality — her carrying 70% of the daily load — should be reflected legally. We introduced a tiered calendar: a baseline schedule with a built-in adjustment protocol triggered by Kevin's travel confirmation, sent 21 days in advance. Neither parent got their original position. Both got something workable.
Session three produced a 14-page Parenting Plan. It included holiday rotation, a first-right-of-refusal clause, a communication protocol (no texts after 9pm except emergencies), and a 90-day review clause. Arjun's pediatrician was listed as the tiebreaker for medical decisions. Kevin cried briefly at the end. Priya handed him a tissue.
Estimated litigation cost: $35,000–$60,000. Accord total: $3,200.
"We wrote a parenting plan that actually sounds like it was written by people who know our son. Not a template."
— Kevin, 39, logistics director
Eight years building a landscape architecture firm. Forty-eight hours to decide its future.
Sofia and Brendan had met in graduate school, married at 29, and opened their firm at 31. By the time they arrived at Accord, the firm had four employees, $1.2M in annual revenue, and a pending contract worth $380,000. Their personal marriage was over. The question was whether the professional one had to be.
Sofia wanted to buy Brendan out and continue operating. Brendan wanted to sell and divide the proceeds. Neither was wrong. The complicating factor: the pending contract required both their signatures under the existing LLC structure, and it was due in 48 hours. We scheduled the first session for the following morning.
We separated the immediate from the permanent. The contract was signed that afternoon — both parties agreed the employees shouldn't be collateral damage. Then we began the business valuation process. Accord does not perform valuations; we brought in a neutral third-party CPA at a flat fee of $1,800, split equally. The number came back in five days: $740,000 net equity.
Brendan's attorney (retained for review only, not advocacy) raised a question about goodwill attribution — specifically, whether Sofia's industry relationships constituted personal goodwill that shouldn't be valued in the buyout. It was a legitimate question. We scheduled a supplemental session with both attorneys present as observers. The answer, after two hours: a $40,000 reduction in the buyout price. Brendan accepted.
Sofia retained the firm. Brendan received $330,000 in a structured buyout over 18 months, secured against the pending contract. The four employees were notified by a joint memo drafted in the session. The firm was rebranded under Sofia's name six weeks later. Brendan started a solo practice in a different city.
Estimated litigation cost: $80,000–$140,000. Accord total: $5,600 + $900 CPA share.
"We built something real together. I'm glad we didn't destroy it on the way out."
— Brendan, 41, landscape architect
What happens in the room.
Mediation works because it separates the people from the problem. Here is exactly how Accord structures that separation.
Free Strategy Session
A 30-minute call with both parties — or one, if the other isn't ready yet. We assess whether mediation is appropriate, explain the process, and answer every question you have about what happens next.
No charge. No commitment.Document Preparation
Before the first joint session, each party completes a financial disclosure form. We compile a shared balance sheet — assets, liabilities, income, debts — so the first session starts with facts, not estimates.
Completed independently, reviewed together.Joint Sessions
Sessions run 90 minutes, scheduled at your pace. We move through each issue systematically: property, support, custody, retirement, business interests. When a session ends without resolution on an item, it carries forward with notes — not drama.
Average: 2–3 sessions for most couples.Memorandum of Understanding
Once all issues are resolved, we draft a detailed MOU capturing every agreed term. You take it to your respective attorneys for review. They convert it into a final marital settlement agreement filed with the court.
Legally binding. Attorney-reviewable."The tissue box is on the table. So is a clear agenda and a pen that works. Both things can be true."
— Accord Mediation Practice