Divorce & Family Law Mediation

in Texas and New York City

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Divorce and family law disputes can be complicated, personal, and difficult to resolve. Lené Alley DeRudder provides neutral divorce and family law mediation in Texas and New York City, helping parties work through disputed issues and pursue practical agreements outside the courtroom.

Licensed in both Texas and New York, Lené draws on extensive experience in family law litigation, mediation, and Collaborative Divorce to help parties better understand the issues separating them, explore possible resolutions, and keep negotiations moving forward.

Meet Lené Alley DeRudder, Mediator

Lené Alley DeRudder is an experienced divorce and family law mediator who works with attorneys, their clients, and individuals seeking a more private and collaborative way to resolve family law disputes.

Lené began her mediation career with Dispute Mediation Services in Dallas and has mediated privately throughout her family law career. Her background includes extensive courtroom experience as well as training in Collaborative Divorce, giving her insight into both contested litigation and interest-based negotiation.

As a mediator, however, Lené serves in a different role than she does when representing a family law client. She is a neutral facilitator—not an advocate for either party and not a judge. Her role is to help participants identify the issues preventing resolution, evaluate possible paths forward, and engage in productive settlement discussions.

This combination of litigation experience, collaborative training, and mediation experience is especially useful in complex family law matters where legal, financial, parenting, and personal concerns can overlap.

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Mediation Services in Texas and New York City

Lené offers mediation options designed to accommodate the parties, their attorneys when involved, and the circumstances of the dispute.

Texas Divorce & Family Law Mediation

In Texas, Lené offers:

  • In-person mediation
  • Zoom mediation
  • Mediation at Cowles Thompson’s Plano office
  • Mediation at Cowles Thompson’s Dallas office

  • Travel to another location when needed

Texas mediation is available for attorneys and clients seeking to resolve divorce and other family law disputes efficiently and privately.

New York City Divorce & Family Law Mediation

In New York City, Lené primarily offers virtual mediation.

In-person mediation may also be available when scheduled well in advance or when a matter requires multiple days of mediation.

Importantly, New York mediation is available both with and without attorneys participating. In some cases, couples choose to begin the mediation process before filing for divorce or before either party has retained an attorney.

What Is Divorce and Family Law Mediation?

Mediation is a confidential dispute-resolution process in which a neutral third-party mediator helps the parties communicate, identify disputed issues, and explore mutually acceptable solutions.

Rather than deciding who is right or wrong, the mediator facilitates the negotiation. The parties maintain control over whether an agreement is reached and what that agreement contains.

Family law mediation may be used to address issues including:

  • Divorce
  • Child custody
  • Parenting time and possession
  • Child support
  • Spousal maintenance
  • Property division
  • Financial disputes

  • Other contested family law matters

For many families, mediation provides an opportunity to resolve disagreements without asking a judge to make every important decision about their finances, children, and future.

Why Consider Mediation?

Mediation gives parties an opportunity to work toward resolution in a more private and flexible environment than traditional courtroom litigation.

Depending on the circumstances, benefits may include:

In mediation, the parties decide whether to settle and what terms they are willing to accept. A mediator does not impose a decision.

Mediation discussions are generally confidential, subject to applicable law and limited exceptions. This provides an environment in which participants can explore possible solutions more openly.
Families often need solutions that account for unique financial circumstances, parenting schedules, businesses, property, or other personal priorities. Mediation allows the parties to consider options tailored to their circumstances.
The mediation process focuses on resolving disputed issues rather than winning a courtroom battle. This can be particularly valuable when parents will need to continue communicating and co-parenting after a divorce or custody dispute ends.
Some matters can be resolved during a single mediation session, while more complicated disputes may require additional time or multiple sessions. Reaching an agreement through mediation may help the parties avoid some of the time, expense, and uncertainty associated with prolonged litigation.

What Does a Family Law Mediator Do?

A family law mediator is a neutral facilitator who helps participants work toward a possible agreement.

During mediation, Lené may help the parties:

  • Clarify the issues that remain in dispute

  • Improve communication during negotiations

  • Identify areas of potential agreement

  • Explore settlement options

  • Consider practical ways to address unresolved issues

  • Keep negotiations focused and productive

A mediator does not represent either party, provide legal advice to either side, act as a judge, or decide the outcome.

Any agreement reached through mediation is made by the parties themselves.

Divorce & Family Law Mediation Fees

Lené currently offers the following mediation fee structure for Texas and New York City matters:

Mediation Session Fee Per Side Total Fee
Half Day – 4 Hours $800 $1,600
Partial Day – 6 Hours $1,200 $2,400
Full Day – 8 Hours $1,600 $3,200

Overtime: $400 per hour

For questions regarding scheduling, location, or the appropriate amount of time to reserve for a mediation, contact Lené.

What Should I Expect During Mediation?

Every family law mediation is different.

Some disputes can be resolved in a few hours. Others involve multiple issues, significant assets, parenting concerns, or longstanding disagreements and may require a longer session or more than one mediation date.

It is also normal for negotiations to progress unevenly. The parties may appear close to an agreement at one point and farther apart later in the process.

Participants should come prepared, remain open to considering possible solutions, and understand that reaching an agreement may require time and compromise.

If the parties reach an agreement, the terms will generally be put in writing. Whether and when that agreement becomes legally binding depends on the state, the circumstances of the case, how the agreement is executed, and any required court approval.

Frequently Asked Questions About Family Law Mediation

No. Mediation is intended to help parties find possible solutions, not force them to accept an agreement.

You may decide that you need additional time, want to speak with your attorney, or are not comfortable accepting a particular proposal. The decision to reach an agreement remains with the parties.

No. A mediator is not a judge and does not determine which party should win.

The mediator facilitates communication and negotiations so the parties can explore whether they can reach their own agreement.

No. A neutral mediator does not represent either party or provide either side with legal advice.

If you need advice about your individual legal rights, obligations, or whether a proposed agreement is in your best interests, you should consult your own attorney.

Mediation is generally confidential in both Texas and New York, subject to applicable law and certain exceptions.

Confidentiality allows participants to discuss settlement possibilities more openly without treating the mediation like a public court proceeding.

The amount of time varies depending on the number of disputed issues, the complexity of the case, and the participants’ ability to reach agreement.

Lené offers four-hour, six-hour, and eight-hour mediation sessions. Some complex matters may require additional time or multiple mediation sessions.

Not necessarily.

Lené offers New York City mediation with or without attorneys participating. Some parties choose to begin mediation before filing for divorce or before engaging attorneys.

Because the mediator remains neutral and cannot provide either party with individual legal advice, participants may still choose to consult independent counsel during the process.

Yes, mediation may occur before a divorce case is filed.

For some couples, beginning mediation early provides an opportunity to identify areas of agreement and work through financial, property, or family issues before proceeding further with the divorce process.

Mediation can be used in many types of family law disputes, including matters involving divorce, child custody, parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, property division, and related financial issues.

Whether mediation is appropriate for a particular dispute depends on the circumstances involved.

If the parties reach an agreement, the terms are generally documented in writing.

Depending on the jurisdiction and circumstances, additional steps may be required before the agreement becomes legally binding or is incorporated into a court order or divorce judgment.

Schedule Mediation with Lené Alley DeRudder

If you are an attorney seeking an experienced family law mediator or an individual exploring divorce or family law mediation, consider Lené Alley DeRudder.

Lené offers in-person and Zoom mediation in Texas and virtual mediation in New York City, with limited in-person availability.