Divorce Mediation
Padideh Jafari, Attorney-Mediatorin Los Angeles
When you choose divorce mediation, the person guiding the conversation shapes every decision you make. Padideh Jafari is a California family law attorney who has spent more than 20 years handling divorce and custody cases in Los Angeles and Orange County courts. As a mediator, she brings that experience to the table as a neutral, so you and your spouse can make informed decisions and leave with an agreement built to hold up.
Padideh Jafari, Esq.
Founder & CEO
Jafari Law & Mediation
The difference
Why an attorney-mediator
Mediation is only as good as the agreement it produces. An attorney-mediator can explain how California law treats each issue while you are still deciding it, not after the fact.
i.
Insights from a Licensed Attorney
Padideh uses her legal education and experience to clarify the legal framework and how Los Angeles courts typically approach custody, support, and property. Providing a realistic view of the possible outcomes before making lasting decisions.
ii.
Court-Ready Documents
As an attorney-mediator, Padideh drafts your formal Marital Settlement Agreement and prepares the judgment paperwork for filing. You won’t be left with an informal summary that another professional must turn into legal documents.
iii.
Lasting Outcomes
Drawing on her legal knowledge and experience, Padideh guides you toward clear, workable terms that can be carried out in real life, incorporated into your judgment and enforced by the court if either party fails to follow them.
Attorney-mediator vs. non-attorney mediator
Many skilled mediators come from backgrounds such as therapy or finance, and they can be excellent at helping couples communicate. The difference is in the legal work.
Either way, a mediator stays neutral and does not represent either spouse. Each of you is recommended to have your own attorney review the agreement before you sign.
Experience that informs every session
2003
Practicing family law in California since
Padideh has practiced family law in California since 2003. Over more than two decades, she has handled some of the most complex issues a divorce can involve, including business valuation, cash-flow analysis, high-asset property division involving assets in the hundreds of millions, and high-stakes custody disputes.
That courtroom experience is exactly what makes her an effective mediator. She knows where contested cases tend to end up, what they cost families along the way, and which agreements hold up years later. In mediation, she uses that knowledge to help couples reach the same kind of informed resolution without the expense, delay and conflict of litigation.
She is the founder and CEO of Jafari Law & Mediation Office, APC, with offices in Los Angeles and Orange County. Her Los Angeles office is on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks.
Education & Experience
Her background in communication and psychology shapes how she runs mediation: keeping conversations structured, making sure both spouses feel heard, and helping couples move past impasses without escalating conflict.
J.D.
Southwestern University School of Law
B.A. in Communication Studies, minor in Psychology
Loyola Marymount University
Adjunct Professor
Southern California Institute of Law (Family Law and Community Property)
Adjunct Professor
NYU (Real Estate Law)
How she approaches mediation
Padideh’s role in mediation is to be fair to both spouses, clear about the law, and practical about what will work for your family after the divorce.
01
Neutral from start to finish.
She does not take sides. Every explanation of the law is given to both spouses at the same time.
02
Structured, not rushed.
Sessions follow a clear agenda so progress is steady and nothing important is skipped.
03
Focused on what comes next.
Parenting plans, support terms and property decisions are shaped around how your family will actually live once the divorce is final.
04
Available in person or remotely.
Sessions can take place at the Sherman Oaks office or by secure video.
Press
Media appearances and publications
Padideh regularly speaks and writes about divorce, mediation and co-parenting.
Podcasts and video
- John Mulaney PresentsEverybody’s in LA (Netflix Is a Joke)
- Self Care-ish PodcastSurviving a No Good Very Bad Divorce
- The Divorce HubHow to Beat a Narcissist in Court
- Farewell, Mr. Nice Guy PodcastInterview with a Family Law Attorney
- Been There Got OutHow Toxic Men & Women Weaponize the Legal System
- Been There Got OutSecrets of Access Schedules & Strategies for Protecting Children
Articles and guest posts
Service area
Where she mediates
Padideh mediates for couples throughout Los Angeles County from her Sherman Oaks office and by video. Learn more about divorce mediation in the San Fernando Valley, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Burbank, Beverly Hills, West LA and East LA.
Next step
Talk with Padideh about your divorce
A consultation is the easiest way to find out whether mediation is right for your situation. You’ll learn how the process works, what it will cost at our flat rate, and what to expect, before you commit to anything.
