About

I am a professional mediator practicing in Chicago and Upstate New York and specializing in divorce mediation, collaborative facilitation and neutral financial analysis.

In 2006, toward the end of my career in public finance, I discovered mediation and my passion for helping others to engage in dialogue focused on building bridges into the future.

Divorce is a significant life transition. I have found that, in divorce, families face human needs that courts cannot address effectively. A better and more creative alternative is to work with mediation professionals trained to help couples take control of their decisions and their futures.

My Background

I grew up outside of New York City and attended college (bachelor’s in accounting, 1977) and graduate school (master’s in public administration, 1979) in Albany, NY. I experienced divorce in my 20s, fortunately with no children, and later met my wife to whom I’ve been married since 1984. We have two grown children who live in Albuquerque and New York City.

I worked in public finance for over 30 years, the last 10 years as Chief Financial Officer at the New York State Assembly, Albany, New York. In 2010, I retired to start my divorce mediation practice, and later became trained in collaborative divorce and certified as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (2013). Over the years, I have received over 900 hours of training and continuing education in the fields of mediation and collaborative divorce. 

We relocated to Chicago in 2016, and I opened a new practice—Louis Mediation Services-Chicago, LLC. I have also continued my New York practice by video, offering remote mediation services long before it became popular during the pandemic. I meet with clients both in person in my Chicago office in the North Center neighborhood and remotely by video.

My Goals as a Mediator and Financial Neutral:

• To provide a safe space for clients to each have a voice and be able to express themselves and be heard
• To preserve and honor the role that clients will have in their lifelong parental relationship
• To acknowledge the financial challenges that a divorcing couple faces when transitioning from one household to two
• To promote a decision-making process that is informed through full financial disclosure and that concludes with choices that are acceptable and workable for both spouses

I believe in empowering clients through preparation on two fronts: (1) providing resources to clients to help them self-reflect about how they “show up” in important and challenging conversations, and (2) providing resources to assist clients in knowing the scope of decisions that will be discussed, and to ensure that there is complete financial information on which to base decisions.

Professional Experience

• President, Mediator,  Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Louis Mediation Services-Chicago, LLC
• President, Mediator, Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, Upstate Divorce Mediation
• Volunteer Family and Community Mediator – Center for Conflict Resolution, Chicago

Memberships

• Collaborative Divorce Illinois, Fellow (Chair of Modest Means Program Committee)
• Volunteer Council, Center for Conflict Resolution
• Association for Conflict Resolution (National and Chicago Chapter)
• Institute for Divorce Financial Analysts
• International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
• New York State Council on Divorce Mediation
• Founding Member and Certified Advanced Practitioner, Academy of Professional Family Mediators