Choosing Colleen McNamee as our divorce mediator was one of the best decisions my ex-spouse and I made during this challenging time. Colleen's expertise and approach not only ensured a fair and smooth process but also helped us save a significant amount of money compared to hiring two attorneys. Colleen's commitment to fairness and transparency is unparalleled. She took the time to explain every detail throughout the entire process, ensuring that both parties were well-informed and comfortable with the proceedings. Her ability to break down complex legal matters into understandable terms made the entire experience less daunting and more manageable. One of Colleen's standout qualities is her prompt responsiveness to phone calls and emails. In an emotionally charged situation like divorce, having a mediator who values timely communication is crucial. Colleen's quick responses provided reassurance and kept the process moving forward seamlessly, reducing unnecessary stress. When communication with my ex-spouse became contentious or uncomfortable, Colleen played a crucial role in facilitating productive conversations. Her skills in mediation helped us navigate through challenging moments with grace and efficiency. Colleen's ability to find common ground and guide us towards resolution was instrumental in maintaining a respectful dialogue. Colleen's dedication to resolving all issues in a way that ensured both parties were comfortable was evident throughout the process. Her fair and unbiased approach contributed to a final agreement that met the needs of both parties, fostering a sense of satisfaction and closure. Colleen's commitment to creating a positive and cooperative atmosphere is truly commendable. What sets Colleen apart is her cost-effective approach. Opting for mediation over hiring two attorneys not only saved us a considerable amount of money but also streamlined the process. Colleen's ability to guide us through negotiations, navigate legal complexities, and foster communication helped us reach a resolution efficiently. In addition to her cost-effectiveness, Colleen maintained the highest level of professionalism throughout. Her demeanor, ethical conduct, and dedication to our well-being were evident at every stage. Working with Colleen not only saved us money but also provided us with a sense of confidence and control over the divorce process. In conclusion, Colleen McNamee is more than just a divorce mediator; she is a skilled professional who goes above and beyond to ensure a fair, transparent, and cost-effective resolution. If you are looking for a mediator who prioritizes your interests, facilitates effective communication, and helps you save on legal costs, Colleen McNamee is an excellent choice. read more

Colleen has earned my highest recommendation as a divorce mediator. She remained a neutral third party throughout the process, and did an excellent job of facilitating open communication, problem solving, providing resources and alternatives, and anticipating our next steps. The final agreement was fair, accurate and through her expert collaboration was in the best interests of all family members...all at a fraction of the cost of litigation. Take a look at the mmediations.com website. This was my first impression of Colleen's practice, and I have to say that the content and quality of those videos reassured me that I she was the right choice. There is an article there where Colleen is called "The Divorce Whisper." Not only is she extremely knowledgeable about the Law, with her personality and background in psychology, she was somehow able to bring us through a difficult section of the settlement, and before I knew we came to an agreement! She truly is "The Divorce Whisperer," and I am grateful for her unique ability to use creative solutions to successfully reach a fair solution. Colleen has been mediating divorces for 20+ years and this experience is evident throughout the process. She has the process down to a science. She is transparent in her approach and was firm with both parties when she needed to be, yet showed empathy for what each of us was going through. She responds quickly to emails and phone calls, and her advice/wisdom/counsel was invaluable. Her attention to detail with all of the paperwork and her ability to perform complex financial calculations was amazing. She also has an entire network of professional resources to help get through the rest of the process- appraiser, realtor, CPA, inspectors, trust attorney, actuary...I found all of her references to be excellent resources. Colleen is transparent with her cost structure and I feel that she charged a fair price for all of the work that she put in. You can probably find a slightly cheaper mediator, but you would be hard pressed to find a person this knowledgeable, experienced and talented. She was worth every penny and in the end saved us the time, expense, and emotional trauma of the litigation process. I have already referred Colleen to several close friends. Colleen, I was blessed to get to work with you, and will be forever grateful for the professionalism, wisdom and empathy that you demonstrated in helping us arrive at a mutually agreeable fair settlement. You have earned my highest recommendation. read more

Divorce is painful - DUH ! I wanted ours to be as simple and as inexpensive as possible. Does that seem far-fetched? I learned a lot during the process and I am very grateful we found Colleen McNamee along the way. I wanted someone who would ADVOCATE for me and my needs. I contacted and interviewed a number of lawyers in Orange County. After that painful reality check, I had huge concerns and contracted with a Legal Document Assistant, hoping for the best. Using only an LDA didn't prove to be a good fit for us. Mid-process our LDA actually referred us to Ms. McNamee. The description Ms. McNamee uses in the video on her website for the type of situation where a paralegal might be a good fit appears to me to be quite accurate. Frankly, the cost of two litigation attorneys can mean handing over a sizable chunk of your estate unnecessarily. I don't know what all mediators are like. All I can say that Ms. McNamee is experienced, professional, exacting, incredibly patient and knowledgeable. She was able to strike a unique balance of understanding our wants and needs, while making both parties feel supported. She maintained a neutral stance during the entire process: that was no small feat and yet she did so very deftly. Ms. McNamee was able to redirect us when we suggested agreements that might be problematic in the future. She explained why so we would understand. She was clear, logical and also creative when the situation warranted some out of the box thinking. She brought some unique solutions to the table that worked well for our unique situation. It is hard for me to imagine anyone that couldn't benefit from Colleen's process. We were so grateful not to have to hire individual lawyers, work with the schedules of additional parties and pay exponentially more than the cost of mediation for a traditional litigation process. On another note, I have lived in Orange County for 30 years and I was initially concerned by Ms. McNamee's office's Newport Beach address, assuming that I would meet "Newport Beach" pricing. I found her services to be reasonably priced and a significant savings over the all other lawyers I contacted and interviewed before choosing to try mediation. I highly recommend Ms. McNamee and wish you the best in your journey. read more

I am writing to offer my sincere recommendation and appreciation for Colleen McNamee as a mediator. My spouse and I were together for 32 years in a long-term same-sex relationship. At the outset, we had generally agreed in concept on both the use of mediation and the broad framework for division of assets. During the process, my spouse was eager to move forward with purchasing a home in another state, which required me to sign an interspousal transfer deed waiver before our negotiations were fully completed. Although I did so with some reluctance, at the time our discussions appeared to be progressing constructively and in good faith. Unfortunately, after that point the tone of the negotiations changed dramatically. Outside influences and poor advice appeared to fuel a series of hostile accusations and reversals of previously discussed agreements. Matters that had once seemed resolved were repeatedly reopened and challenged, often in material ways. The process became emotionally exhausting and increasingly difficult to manage directly. It was during this period that Colleen's professionalism, patience, and balanced temperament became invaluable. She remained calm, methodical, fair-minded, and solutions-oriented throughout an often highly charged process. Time and again, she helped bring discussions back to facts, reason, and structure when emotions threatened to derail progress entirely. Many issues had to be revisited multiple times, and Colleen consistently demonstrated extraordinary patience and steady guidance in helping us work through them. Quite honestly, I do not believe we would have reached resolution without her. Her ability to maintain composure, create clarity, and steadily move both parties toward completion was instrumental in ultimately getting us over the finish line. I would strongly recommend Colleen to anyone seeking a skilled, balanced, and highly professional mediator capable of navigating even the most emotionally difficult situations. Jill read more

My wife and I were getting ready to start the divorce process and everyone told us there was no possible way we would be able to do it through mediation. I decided to write this review in hopes of helping anyone else who is discouraged from trying mediation first before resorting to litigation because they think it's too complex or difficult. We had what you might consider a high conflict case; Involving an active restraining order, issues of infidelity, 3 children (the paternity of which were in question), addiction, distrust, prior criminal convictions, and not much money to go around. The only thing that we had in common was that we didn't want this to turn into a knock down drag out battle in court if it were at all possible. Thus my finding Colleen. Colleen was upfront with us right from the beginning and told us that our case would be challenging but she was up to the task so long as we were. We had to have separate appointments because of the restraining order and I'm sure our case was far from one of her easier ones. But through her skill and expertise and truly unlimited patience, we were able to facilitate our divorce process through mediation! At times it felt like we would never get things resolved, or one of us would do something to set the other one off - but somehow Colleen always brought us back around. We still have a long road ahead of us because we are going to have to co-parent, but I think this will be a much easier task than it ever could have been had we litigated and turned this into an even more adversarial situation. I honestly don't know if any other mediator would have been able to achieve success with our case, but Colleen did. She really has a gift! read more

We were referred to a mediation firm and a specific mediator there by some good friends of ours. We really had a horrible experience. We had 6 meetings with this mediator and nothing was filed with the court yet, and each appointment felt like a therapy session where we were asked to talk about our feelings rather than being advised of the law and told what our legal options were. It was not at all what we were expecting, and was a huge turn off for my husband! This caused us to almost give up on the idea of being able to do mediation to facilitate our divorce. Then I saw all of Colleen's reviews here on Yelp .  Our experience with Colleen was COMPLETELY different. Not only was it what we thought we should be able to expect from mediation, but she far surpassed that! Colleen really has a great way of combining professionalism with empathy, and understanding that this is never an easy thing to have to go through, but we are going through it nonetheless and things need to keep moving forward. She kept us focused on the light at the end of the tunnel. My husband and I were so impressed with her, her knowledge about the law, her creativity in the options she shared with us that were often things we had never even thought of, and her ability to remain neutral yet make both of us feel like we were being heard. I can't recommend her services highly enough. If I could give more than 5 stars, I absolutely would! If you've had a bad experience with a mediator, do not give up on the idea of mediation - Call Colleen!!! read more

I recently had the experience of meeting and using Colleen's mediation services for one of the most emotional and depressing things I have had to deal with in my life! Getting a divorce is difficult, at best, but Colleen's professional, supportive, and caring approach to the process made it as easy as I believe possible. She has a special gift that makes you feel comfortable and trusting of her expertise at negotiating in your best interests while being fair! She sees a need and when necessary goes beyond attorney expectations, I have difficulty with mobility and Colleen made it less difficult to make appointments with her by coming to my home several times, which was much appreciated, and beyond the call of her services. She is also able to explain very technical language in a way that allowed me to understand terms, conditions, and ending settlement issues. As I went through this process I couldn't help but think about how difficult and intimidating it would have been in a courtroom, no one needs that kind of stress in their life. Colleen has excellent networking referrals for issues of trusts, investment, and tax law, which I found to be helpful, knowing I had a good team to help guide me into my uncertain future. She certainly made my divorce bearable, and the future more secure, which is what I needed! Thanks for your professionalism and caring, I truly recommend your mediation services to anyone going through such a traumatic and difficult experience. Fondly, Arloa Moore read more

Choosing mediation over litigation for my divorce ended up being a great decision for my personal circumstances, and Colleen was a great help throughout the entire process. From the beginning, she approached the situation with a calm and balanced demeanor, ensuring that both of us felt heard and respected. This level of professionalism and empathy set the tone for a process that, while challenging, remained civil and constructive. One of the key benefits of opting for mediation was the significant cost savings. We tried traditional litigation first, which quickly became expensive, with legal fees escalating as the process dragged on. Mediation, however, allowed us to reach a mutually agreeable settlement without the prolonged court battles and associated costs. This not only saved us money but also ensured that more of our resources could be focused on rebuilding our lives post-divorce rather than being consumed by legal expenses. Beyond the financial aspects, the emotional and psychological benefits of mediation cannot be overstated. Litigation has a way of pitting spouses against each other, creating a contentious atmosphere that neither of us wanted. With Colleen's guidance, we were able to address our differences amicably, creating an environment of cooperation and understanding. This has had a profound impact on our ability to maintain a positive relationship moving forward, especially when it comes to both of our well-beings and overall mental health. read more

Colleen was truly amazing with dissolving our 39 year marriage that needed to be mediated. I was never a fan of Attorneys and approached the mediation without much hope to a resolution as my spouse was very aggressive, angry and greedy with her prior Divorce Attorney's direction. Colleen was kind and caring as she dealt with all the emotions that a divorce encompasses in such a terrible part of life that no one should have to experience. Colleen was compassionate to help heal the devastation that my spouse created for myself and my family giving tissues and kind words when needed. Colleen was very detailed, calm, cool and collected dealing with the anger, hurt and confusion that the State of California Divorce laws create in my opinion that are unfair rules and regulations for most men. Colleen explained the facts to both sides and negotiated a settlement to dissolve our marriage. She cared about our children's best interest and their feeling of hurt that the Divorce filings created. Colleen was introduced as an attorney to me and has ended up being a friend. This is my first yelp review for any business during my life, but I felt the personal obligation to recommend Colleen to any and all parties that have to go through a divorce mediation. Thank you Colleen for not only being a very polished Attorney, but most of all for your guidance, negotiation and friendship!! All my best, Greg "starting my next chapter" read more

My ex husband and I are so grateful that we found Colleen! We had each had attorneys and been litigating our divorce for about a year-and-a-half. I think up to that point I'd spent about $80,000 and my husband had spent around $90,000 with his attorney! We felt like we were not getting anywhere and that we were just going in circles and wasting a lot of time and money, and all this did was create more resentment between the two of us which was not good for our children. I was referred to Colleen and spoke to her on the phone and felt very comfortable with her immediately. My husband called and had the same feeling. In less than 2 months, and for less than $12,000, Colleen was able to help us reach all of our settlement terms (we even redid some of the ones we had reached with our attorneys because she had even better and more creative options to share with us that were a much better fit for our particular situation!). When she told us it was time to schedule our final signing appointment, I think both my husband and I were amazed we were all done already! We only wish we had been referred to her from the beginning and not wasted all of that time and money litigating with attorneys who seemed only to care about making every dollar they could from us. I would highly recommend Colleen and McNamee Mediations without hesitation! read more

Choosing mediation over hiring two lawyers and going to court was the best decision I could have made to dissolve my marriage. From the very beginning, Colleen took the reins with confidence and compassion, guiding us through each step of the process with remarkable ease. I had been overwhelmed with stress, unsure of how to even begin, and worried I wouldn't be able to grasp all the legal terminology. But Colleen had a clear, well-organized system in place and took the time to explain everything in plain language, making sure we felt informed and empowered throughout. Each session was purposeful and productive. Colleen helped us tackle one component at a time--property division, financial arrangements, --ensuring we understood our options and reached fair, thoughtful agreements before moving on. Her calm demeanor, deep expertise, and unwavering commitment to neutrality made a potentially difficult experience feel manageable and even constructive. Thanks to Colleen's efficiency, professionalism, and genuine care, we were able to complete the entire process in just four months. I'm incredibly grateful for her support and would wholeheartedly recommend her to anyone seeking a respectful, streamlined, and empowering path through divorce. read more

I recently went through a divorce mediation with Colleen, and I cannot recommend her highly enough. From our initial contact to the moment we signed the final paperwork, working with Colleen was both a pleasure and a relief during an otherwise challenging time. Initially, my wife and I had planned to engage lawyers and head to court, which felt daunting and expensive. Fortunately, a friend suggested we consider mediation. After some research, I discovered Colleen, and I'm genuinely grateful that we chose this path. My wife was skeptical at first, unsure that we could reach a settlement through mediation. However, Colleen's expertise soon put her at ease. Colleen kept us on track throughout the entire process, providing fair and balanced advice that helped us communicate effectively. One of the most significant advantages of working with Colleen was the time and money we saved. The mediation process was efficient, allowing us both to feel that the outcome was equitable. Thanks to Colleen's skillful guidance, we navigated a challenging situation with grace and came to a satisfactory resolution. I wholeheartedly recommend Colleen's mediation services for anyone facing a similar situation. read more

I very seldom write a review but in this case it's a must. My spouse and I decided it was time to go our separate ways. We decided to use a mediator since we agreed that all our assets would be split 50/50. Using a mediator for our divorce was one of the best decisions we could have made during such a difficult time. Colleen McNamee created a calm, respectful environment where both sides felt heard and understood. Instead of dealing with the stress and expense of a long court battle, we were able to work through disagreements in a productive and cooperative manner. What I appreciated the most was how Colleen kept conversations focused on solutions rather than conflict. She helped us communicate more effectively and guided us toward fair agreements that worked for both parties. The process was much faster, less emotionally draining, and far more affordable than traditional litigation. i would highly recommend McNamee Mediation to anyone going through a divorce. Colleen allowed us to maintain dignity, reduce tension, and move forward with a sense of financial closure and mutual respect. Joan Gianatasio read more

Colleen was referred to me by a friend who used her for her divorce. I wanted to use mediation, but was unsure about the process. I spoke with Colleen and felt very confident she was the right one to help. Just to be sure though, I spoke with several divorce attorneys both male and female. I left each appointment with each attorney feeling more confused and scared. I felt that none of them had my best interest at heart or would truly fight for me. Colleen was very patient and understanding and helped cut through the typical lawyer bs that I had gotten from the other attorneys I had spoken with. Colleen was so helpful during this difficult time. She represented myself and my ex fairly and was able to get us to come together in agreement. There were several times the mediation was about to go off the rails, and each time she was able to get it right back on track. Colleen was both professional and caring. She always returned emails and calls very quickly. She assured us she could help us through this daunting experience and she most definitely did. I highly recommend Colleen!! read more

My wife and I got a divorce after 34+ years of marriage. We just stopped communicating, and my wife was fed up with it and demanded a divorce. After talking with a couple of family practice lawyers, it looked like this was going to be a very painful and expensive process. My wife suggested we try a mediator to settle our divorce. I was very skeptical, to say the least. My wife found Colleen McNamee Mediations through yelp reviews and we gave her a try. She was by far the best part of this terrible situation. She was fair to me and my wife. She quoted a price and stuck to it. She was always available to me to listen to my questions and re-assure any doubts I had. In short, if you have to go through a divorce, I 100% recommend Colleen McNamee Mediations. It will be a fair, equitable and fairly fast process. You can get on with your life a little sooner and not have to spend nearly as much if you got a lawyer. She and her firm will make the whole process of divorce less complicated, painful or expensive. Definitely 5 stars!! read more

Hi, I am writing this review to let all of you who are looking for a fair and effective way to get through a horrible situation called divorce. I called Colleen and asked some questions about how Mediations works and she filled me in and made me and the x feel comfortable and relaxed about going through this situation without any worries. Me and the x were married 29 years with a good amount of shared homes and funds so this made it scary not knowing if Mediation was the way to go, after meeting with Colleen she was able to walk us through a very scary and unsure time and made both me and the wife understand and get through this with out a bunch of bickering. Colleen was both fair to me and the wife and showed she would not take sides and steered us in a positive way. I know how uncomfortable and scary this time is but she was great and also saved us a lot of cash. I would not hesitate to recommend her to you and let her help you through this horrible time while making it as good as it can be.... Recently Divorced Troy Davis read more

I did not know what to expect when we decided for mediation with Colleen instead of going through with the divorce process with individual lawyers. At our first meeting, I was immediately comforted learning about her initial background as a divorce lawyer and long experience as a mediator in Orange County and seeing her professionalism as we began the process. Now, after our final meeting, less than four months later, I have no doubts that it was the right decision. Colleen was exceptional in each stage of the process, not only organized and efficient, but reassuring when we faced stressful situations. Colleen allowed us to resolved complicated issues using her knowledge, experience, and her trusted network of people with complimentary expertise in real estate, taxes, and finances. During these times, Colleen remained calm and pleasant to work with through these situations and issues. During the entire process, I felt treated fairly and believe Colleen wanted the best possible outcome for both of us. Thank you, Colleen! read more

I was referred to Colleen by a couple of people to help with the divorce process. We started out using a legal service offered by my wife's work that she paid into on a monthly basis. After 9 months of absolutely nothing getting done, our petition hadn't even been filed, I was getting extremely frustrated! I reached out to Colleen and found out what the process would look like by using her services and literally start to finish, she completed our divorce process in 5 WEEKS! We couldn't believe it after 9 MONTHS of nothing with the other legal service. Colleen was extremely professional, prompt and everything went exactly as she said it would. She was completely unbiased, and made us both feel like we were heard and respected. It was without a doubt worth every penny to work with someone who actually knows what they are doing and gets it done right the first time! I would highly recommend using her services if you are having to go through the unfortunate situation of divorce. Colleen will take great care of you. read more

This was my second go-around with mediation, as we saw another mediator back in 2008 when we divorced and had a custodial schedule drawn up for our daughter. I didn't feel like the process went as smoothly as possible back then, so I was a little hesitant hiring another female mediator even though Colleen came highly recommended. I couldn't be more happy with my decision though, as Colleen exceeded all my expectations. When it comes to professionalism, Colleen hits the mark. Not only was she there to answer every question that I had, but she also was very quick to respond as I kept throwing out different scenarios to her. I truly appreciate that she took the time to explain every possible scenario, as she was aware that this process was confusing to me. I finally know my rights as a father! I would highly recommend Colleen to anyone who needs a knowledgeable and professional mediator with a very strong skill set. She really sets herself apart from the other mediators in the area! read more