​​Message to Prospective Clients
from Matthew House, J.D.

Dear Prospective Mediation Clients,

I understand that divorce or separation, as well as the mediation process to facilitate it, is new for you and may seem overwhelming.  My job is to make it as easy on you as possible, by focusing not only on the logistics and legal details but also on the personal needs that no legal forms could fully address on their own.  I try to find solutions that will meet your needs, even those that may be unique to their particular circumstances.  Throughout my 17-year career in private practice, I have always worked to develop new approaches.  I continue to embrace new techniques as I adapt my practice to changes in the law and the needs that you and other clients present to me.  Here is a summary of the values that guide my practice and represent the core benefits that I believe you will enjoy if you choose me as your mediator:

• I believe it is imperative for a family law mediator to have a law degree, which I do.  Divorce is a legal matter, and the mediator should have a legal education.  Although it is not specifically required, I believe that a law degree is indispensable in this work, and I cannot imagine trying to do it without one.  I am not engaged in the practice of law because, although I completed law school and passed the Bar Exam in 2005, I have chosen not to become a member of the Oregon State Bar.
• It has always been important to me to charge affordable fees. When I started my practice, I had to charge the lowest hourly rate because I had no experience to offer, other than my education.  As I have gained more experience year by year, I have continued to keep my fees at or near the low end of the continuum in the Portland metropolitan area.  To the best of my knowledge, my fees are the lowest in the tri-county area in terms of the hourly fee and the entire mediation process.
• To keep the fees for the paperwork as low as possible, I collaborate with an independent paralegal.  I write the Marital Settlement Agreement and she completes the legal forms.  Completing the forms does not require a law degree, so I believe it is an unnecessary expense to have a mediator or attorney fill them out.  However, with the paralegal who collaborates with me, you get professional service at a very reasonable cost.
• I always presume that civility between divorcing people is fragile, so I want to be sure that people can see me as soon as possible.  I pledge to be available within two business days, and I keep my client caseload manageable so as to be able to keep that promise.  Other than prearranged time off or extraordinary circumstances, I have always been able to uphold that commitment.
• The voices and views of the children of my clients are important, so I offer kids from 11 to 21 the opportunity to visit with me in a casual setting in a room of my office used exclusively for that purpose.  Those meetings are always free of charge for clients who are engaged in a full mediation process, and I believe I am the only mediator in the Portland area who provides that no-cost service.  The visits with kids and teens are an opportunity for them to ask questions or share concerns that I can either keep confidential or share with their parents, depending on what the kids/teens prefer.
• I facilitate an efficient process to reduce clients' stress.  Mediation is usually completed in three to four sessions of two hours each if you have minor children, or two to three sessions if you do not have minor children.
• I am sensitive to the fact that divorce has a financial and emotional impact on people, so I try to be flexible about scheduling sessions so that attending mediation does not have to be exhausting and does not require clients to miss work.  I offer sessions in person or via Zoom on weekday mornings, afternoons, and evenings. On a case-by-case basis, I can do a weekend session via Zoom.

I hope we can work together to meet your needs.  Please feel free to schedule a consultation if you would like to take the first step in the mediation process.

Warmly,

Matthew