A mediator is a neutral person who assists parties to work out their own settlement. A mediator does not act for either party and does not provide legal advice. In a typical family law mediation, the clients attend mediation without their lawyers. Lawyers outside of the mediation provide independent legal advice to the respective parties regarding any proposed agreements. Their advice may come too late to be helpful. In CFL, each of the parties has their own lawyer present. The primary focus is an absolute commitment to settlement. Each lawyer will ensure his/her client is provided with legal advice about the issues. The parties and their lawyers work as a skilled team to obtain the best settlement possible.