What does “client-centered” mean?
A client-centered approach relies on the internal wisdom each client has in knowing what is in her or his best interest without relying on an outside authority such as an attorney, judge or family court mediator to make decisions. When taking a client-centered approach, the attorney or mediator’s role is to help the client access that internal knowledge by identifying his or her true needs and interests. When clients assume responsibility for the outcome of their case, final settlements are more likely to be meaningful and withstand the test of time. In the traditional adversarial system, attorneys, mediators, judges and the law function in a way that reduces the ability of individual parties to make decisions. The result is often a resolution that does not meet the needs of either party.
A client-centered approach relies on the internal wisdom each client has in knowing what is in her or his best interest without relying on an outside authority such as an attorney, judge, or family court mediator to make decisions. When taking a client-centered approach, the attorney or mediator’s role is to help the client access that internal knowledge by identifying his or her true needs and interests. When clients assume responsibility for the outcome of their case, final settlements are more likely to be meaningful and withstand the test of time. In the traditional adversarial system, attorneys, mediators, judges, and the law function in a way that reduces the ability of individual parties to make decisions. The result is often a resolution that does not meet the needs of either party.
