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MEDIATION

IMMIGRATION

FAMILY LAW

Mediation Services

Mediation is used to settle disputes. When two parties are unable to resolve a conflict by themselves, they will often use mediation in order to reach an agreement. A mediator is a neutral third party professional who helps the parties work through their differences and come to an agreement. A mediator does not make a decision for the parties but helps them arrive at their own solutions to the problems. Often times, mediator results in opening up channels of communication between parties and helps them solve future disputes.

Parties who decide to go to mediation rather than pursuing litigation are generally much more satisfied with the process, as well as with the outcome. Parties to a dispute know their own situation better than any judge or a court commissioner and they know best what outcomes will work for them. Mediation gives them an opportunity to craft their own understandings and agreements, unlike court proceedings that result in orders imposed upon them. Mediation also offers a chance to share pertinent information and to present reasons for the desired outcomes, which often leads to an improved communication between the parties long after their dispute is over. And finally, agreements reached in mediation are more durable, as people tend to follow their own agreements more often than they follow court orders.

Mirka Nakovski is an experienced attorney and a certified mediator. She obtained her mediation training through the Dispute Resolution Center (DRC) of Snohomish, Skagit and Island Counties (DRC), followed by numerous additional trainings at the DRC, University of Washington and Antioch University in Seattle.

Mirka's mediation services are designed to resolve disputes that arise in connection with divorce proceedings, child custody and relocation matters, as well as modifications of parenting plans. Ms. Nakovski also mediates landlord-tenant and business disputes. Her philosophy and goal is to minimize the conflict and the level of stress that parties may experience going through the legal proceedings, while helping them achieve their objectives and their desired outcomes.

Immigration Law

Immigration Law is complex and it changes continuously. While some immigration matters could be handled without legal representation, many require skilled professional assistance.

Mistakes on the forms, incomplete documentation, inability to provide legal authority for your position, or a failure to comply with deadlines, can all delay your immigration process or even lead to denials. Often times, when cases are denied, you may not re-apply based on the same evidence.

We have seen many cases being denied in situations where denials could have been prevented.
We have seen cases where people had been represented by non-lawyers or "immigration consultants," who had contributed to the denials.

Ms. Nakovski has been an immigration lawyer since 1993. She has helped many people obtain immigration benefits and preserve their immigration status. She has worked with clients needing assistance in all areas of immigration law. Since 1993, she has been a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and the Washington Chapter of AILA. She says current on the developments in immigration law, attends trainings, and gives presentations to other lawyers and non-lawyers about immigration law. She is skilled, compassionate, and competent. As an immigrant herself, she is on your side.

Family Law

Family law proceedings can be quite stressful and emotionally draining. Feelings of hopelessness, uncertainty about your future finances, and worries about your children, can all affect other areas of your life and your relationships with others. At our office, we can help you with matters involving:

Divorce

In divorce proceedings, the law requires that a Parenting Plan/Residential Schedule be entered to provide for the children's primary residence, the parent named as the custodial parent, and for specific times when the children are cared for by the nonresidential parent. A temporary parenting plan can be entered early on in the case and, often times, it becomes the framework for the final parenting plan. It is very important to address your rights and the best interests of your children from the very beginning of your case.

Parenting Plan

At our office, we believe that you and your children are entitled to have a strong and meaningful relationship. Mirka Nakovski has an extensive legal experience and expertise to protect your rights as a parent as well as the relationship with your child.

In addition to representing legal rights of the parents, for years, Mirka has been serving as a Guardian ad Litem for children involved in legal proceedings, representing their best interests.
She understands the ins and outs of a well-crafted parenting plan. She is assertive, compassionate, and able to help you, whether you are going through a divorce, a custody dispute, a relocation action, a paternity action, or a parenting plan modification.

Child Support

In Washington State, the level of child support depends on the incomes of both parents, as well as the amount of time each parent spends with the children. The court can deviate (alter) the amount of child support in certain situations, such as when a parent supports other children, when there is a disparity in living standards in the parents' respective households, when children have special needs, and in many other situations.

When calculating child support, the court considers the parents' net income (after taxes and other allowable deductions). This means that certain expenses such as income taxes, social security and Medicare payments, mandatory union dues and pension plan contributions, are deducted from the parents' respective gross incomes (before taxes and other allowable deductions), in order to arrive at the net income figures. When a parent is unemployed or underemployed, the court will impute (assume) their net income, which is often based on the parent's age and gender.

In some cases, it may be difficult to establish the amount of a parent's income. If the other parent is self-employed, receives commissions, bonuses, or reimbursements for their expenses, receives payments in cash, or if he or she is a business owner, calculating child support may be challenging. At our office, we have the skills and experience necessary to identify hidden income and calculate child support in these difficult situations.

Maintenance & Attorney Fees

When divorcing parties have a disparity in income, the court may award maintenance (spousal alimony) to the disadvantaged spouse. Maintenance is mainly based on one spouse's need and the other spouse's ability to pay, but the court also considers the length of the marriage, the length of time it will take the disadvantaged party to become self-supportive, the parties' history and their respective abilities to support themselves in the future. There is no definite formula to calculate the length and the amount of maintenance. At our office, we have the expertise and experience and to help you resolve the maintenance dilemma.

Adjustments and Modifications, and Enforcement of Child Support Orders

The amount of child support ordered by the court can be changed, if the parents' financial positions change, due to changes in income, disability, or changes in the children's residential arrangements. Sometimes, if child support is not paid as ordered, or if child support includes payments for expenses that are not being incurred (such as daycare), parties need to go back to court to correct or compel support payments, to modify certain provisions or to adjust the amount of support, or to obtain a refund of payments for expenses that were not incurred. At our office, we have the experience and knowledge to advocate for you and to assist you with all aspects of disputes relating to child support.