| An attorney shows bilingual people how they | | | | interview the lawyers. Tell them that you are |
| can serve their community and themselves by | | | | looking to establish a referral relationship |
| doing something that is fairly easy. | | | | with a great mediator. Ask them how many |
| | | | mediations they have done and what their |
| If you speak two languages fluently and you | | | | success rate is. Ask them how long a |
| have ties to ethnic communities, you have | | | | mediation usually takes and how much they |
| something valuable, something lawyers would | | | | charge. Ask if they are predominantly |
| pay for. With a bit of research and | | | | mediators or if they also do litigation. Ask |
| connections to non English speakers, you can | | | | them if it would be worth $250 for you to |
| make a very good income on your day off. How | | | | bring them a couple and do the translation |
| many people tell you their problems just | | | | for the day. You may have to negotiate your |
| because you speak their language? There are a | | | | translation fee but you are worth at least |
| lot of people who are staying in a marriage | | | | $150! Just to compare, I have done over 185 |
| just because they don't know who they can | | | | mediations and have 100% success rate. My |
| trust. They trust you and you can introduce | | | | entire practice is mediation and only |
| them to a lawyer who will help them. They | | | | mediation. On average it takes me between 4-7 |
| need the help and are willing to pay for it, | | | | hours to do a mediation. I have very special |
| they just don't know where to go. | | | | skills that most lawyers don't have in that I |
| | | | was a special education teacher for many |
| Can you even imagine how many couples stay | | | | years and have a Masters in teaching severely |
| together because they are intimidated by | | | | emotionally disturbed children, so I have yet |
| divorce court? They have heard the horror | | | | to meet a couple I couldn't work with. But |
| stories about nasty divorces and they don't | | | | there are a lot of skilled mediators who are |
| want to get involved in an ugly court fight. | | | | dying for new business. It is best to work |
| Those kinds of couples are PERFECT for | | | | with a lawyer who is a mediator, that way |
| mediation. If you don't know these folks, | | | | they can do all the legal forms and get |
| talk to people to see if they know couples | | | | everything done for the couple. Beware of |
| like this. You want to ask around the | | | | lawyers who claim to be mediators but are |
| community and see who fits this description. | | | | really litigators in sheep's clothing. Be |
| The last piece of the puzzle is to find the | | | | sure that at least half of all legal work |
| mediator. | | | | they do involves mediation. With just a |
| | | | little work, you can have a steady stream of |
| Find a good phone book and look under Divorce | | | | clients to translate for and you can help |
| Assistance or Mediation. Call around and | | | | others and yourself at the same time. |