Resolution Through Understanding
Family, business, and civil mediation designed to help people move forward with clarity, dignity, and confidence.
A wiser way through an important dispute
When something serious is at stake, the courtroom is rarely the only option, and seldom the best one. Mediation offers a private, considered alternative.
Privacy that holds
Sensitive matters resolved discreetly, protecting your family, your business, and your reputation from public exposure.
Decisions stay yours
You and the other party shape the outcome together, rather than handing it to a judge who does not know your life.
Relationships preserved
A process built to lower the temperature, so the people who matter can still work, co-parent, or do business afterward.
Mediation for the decisions that matter most
From the deeply personal to the highly commercial, each matter is handled with the same discretion and structure.
Family Mediation
Difficult family decisions, handled with dignity.
Learn moreDivorce Mediation
A composed path through separation.
Learn moreChild Custody Mediation
Parenting plans built around your children.
Learn moreBusiness Mediation
Protect the enterprise and the relationship.
Learn morePartnership Disputes
Realign, restructure, or part with clarity.
Learn moreCivil Mediation
Resolve disputes privately, on your terms.
Learn moreWorkplace Mediation
Restore trust between people and teams.
Learn moreOnline Mediation
The full process, from anywhere private.
Learn more
Why clients choose Chen Mediation
Absolute discretion
Your matter stays private. Mediation is confidential by design, away from public court records and the people who do not need to know.
A law-trained perspective
Marissa Chen, J.D. brings the structure of a legal education to the conversation, helping you see the whole picture clearly before you decide.
Structured, never rushed
A calm, deliberate process that moves at the pace the decision deserves. Clarity is the goal, not pressure.
Balanced and neutral
A mediator serves everyone at the table. The work is to help all sides be understood and reach an agreement they can live with.
Meet Marissa Chen, J.D.
A law-trained mediator who believes that most disputes are, at their core, a failure of understanding, and that understanding can be rebuilt.
Marissa Chen brings the discipline of a legal education to a role that is fundamentally human: helping people hear one another well enough to decide well. Her focus is on family, business, and civil matters where the stakes are high and the relationships are worth protecting.
- Juris Doctor (J.D.), bringing legal literacy and structure to every matter.
- Focused practice in family, business, financial, and civil dispute resolution.
- A neutral, confidential process designed around dignity, not adversarial pressure.
Chen Mediation provides mediation, not legal representation or legal advice. Marissa Chen, J.D. is a law-trained mediator and is not a licensed attorney.
A calm, structured path to resolution
Every matter follows a considered process. You always know where you are, and what comes next.
A private consultation
We begin with a confidential conversation about your situation, your priorities, and whether mediation is the right path. There is no obligation.
Confidential preparation
Each party shares context privately. The issues are organized so that time together is spent on what actually matters.
Structured sessions
Guided, respectful sessions where every voice is heard, options are explored, and misunderstandings are worked through with care.
Working toward agreement
As common ground emerges, terms are drafted in clear language so that everyone understands exactly what has been decided.
Clear next steps
You leave with a written summary of the agreement and a clear understanding of what follows, including where independent legal review may help.
Guidance for an important decision
Clear, practical writing for people weighing whether, and how, to resolve a dispute.
Mediation or litigation: which path protects more?
A candid comparison of what each route costs you in money, time, privacy, and relationships.
Read ArticleWhat to expect in divorce mediation
A calm walk through the process, from the first call to a signed agreement, and how to prepare.
Read ArticleHow confidential is mediation, really?
What California's mediation confidentiality protections cover, and the limits worth understanding.
ReadDiscreet mediation across Los Angeles' private communities
In person across the West San Fernando Valley and Conejo Valley, and securely online wherever you are.
Frequently asked questions
Mediation is a private, voluntary process in which a neutral mediator helps people reach their own agreement. Unlike litigation, it is confidential, it keeps decisions in your hands rather than a judge's, and it is designed to preserve relationships rather than deepen conflict.
No. Chen Mediation provides mediation services only. Marissa Chen, J.D. is a law-trained mediator and is not a licensed attorney. The practice does not provide legal representation or legal advice, and you are encouraged to consult an independent attorney when you need legal counsel.
Family matters including divorce and parenting, along with business, partnership, workplace, and civil disputes. If you are unsure whether your situation fits, a private consultation is the best way to find out.
Discretion is central to how the practice works, and California law provides specific protections for communications made during mediation. These protections have limits, so any questions about how confidentiality applies to your situation should be reviewed with independent legal counsel.
Yes. Mediation is voluntary, and it works because everyone chooses to participate. Often one person reaches out first, and the practice can help you consider how to invite the other party into the conversation.
Sessions are held privately by appointment across Calabasas, Hidden Hills, the West San Fernando Valley, and the Conejo Valley, and securely online for clients who prefer to meet by video.
Every resolution begins with a conversation
Schedule a confidential consultation to discuss your situation in private. There is no obligation, and nothing is decided until you are ready.
Confidential. By appointment. In person across the West Valley and Conejo Valley, or securely online.