Collaborative Divorce and Mediation
Melissa Goodstein, Esq., helps families resolve conflict with dignity and respect through collaborative divorce and mediation. In private practice since 1993, she offers clients a constructive approach to divorce and family disputes, with a focus on preserving important relationships and creating a foundation for the future.
Based in Katonah, New York, her practice serves clients throughout Westchester and Putnam counties and the surrounding New York metropolitan area. She practices exclusively within the mediation and collaborative divorce models.
A Supportive, Client-Focused Approach
Careful listening and an understanding of each client’s priorities guide her work. She helps clients make informed decisions and work toward settlements that reflect their needs and support their families as they move forward.
Her approach also recognizes the emotional challenges of divorce. An advocate of supportive practices such as yoga and meditation, she encourages clients to care for their well-being throughout the process and their transition to a new life.
Court Mediator Roster Appointments
As an approved mediator on the New York State Unified Court System’s Statewide Mediator Roster, she is listed on the rosters of the following courts:
- Bronx County Surrogate’s Court
- New York County Matrimonial
- Queens County Supreme Matrimonial
- Westchester County Surrogate’s Court
- Westchester County Family Court and Supreme Court – Matrimonial
- Putnam County Family Court and Supreme Court – Matrimonial
AAA–ICDR Mediator Roster
Melissa is also a mediator on the American Arbitration Association–International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA–ICDR) Roster.
Professional Leadership and Affiliations
Her professional involvement reflects a longstanding commitment to mediation and collaborative practice:
- Family & Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York: Board of Directors
- New York Association of Collaborative Professionals (NYACP): Member and Past President
- New York State Council on Divorce Mediation: Member
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals: Member
- Westchester Women’s Bar Association: Member
- Northern Westchester Collaborative Divorce Professionals: Founding Member
Education and Training
Melissa earned her B.A. from Brandeis University in 1987, with high honors in both American Studies and European Cultural Studies. She received her J.D. from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1990, where she served as an editor of the Journal of International Law.
She completed mediation training in 1992 and established her private practice the following year. She trained in collaborative law in 2003 and in the interdisciplinary collaborative team model in 2005, and has completed advanced training in both mediation and collaborative practice.
Link to Melissa Goodstein interview on the radio show Dialogue on Divorce.