Hidden Gems: Meet Debra Whitson of WhitsonLaw and Mediated Online Solutions

Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra Whitson.

Hi Debra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
30 years ago, I began my legal career as a Special Victims’ Prosecutor. In that role, I became a recognized expert in best practices for working with adult and child victims of domestic and sexual violence within the legal system. I trained other prosecutors as well as judges, police officers, emergency responders, and medical professionals on how to understand the reactions of survivors of domestic or sexual violence, how to support those survivors best as they navigate the legal system, and how to collect and preserve evidence to support the legal case against their abusers. Above all, I was driven to ensure that the legal system did not re-victimize these victims. I carried this passion with me when I left government work to start my own law firm that focuses on matrimonial and family law matters. I did not anticipate how the adversarial civil legal system was ill-equipped to help families going through separation or divorce. I saw how parental warfare was hurting children and parents. I saw overburdened family court judges who could not devote time or court resources to truly understand the dynamics of the families that came into their courts deeply enough to truly know what outcomes would be most likely to serve children and their parents best. I saw my fellow attorneys fueling warfare for their egos or personal financial gain. I am by nature a creative problem solver, and I was driven to try to make things better for the families that came to my law firm for legal services. I underwent specialized training to be a court-appointed Law Guardian (now called “Attorney for Child” in New York and known in most other states as a Guardian Ad Litem) and served in that role for several years. Still, I felt that in the role of Law Guardian, I had very little influence over parents who were determined to play a legal tug-of-war over their children. After years of trying to change the system one case at a time, I was introduced to Mediation and Collaborative Divorce. I saw in these modalities a formal way for spouses to avoid the emotional and financial costs of courtroom battles; I saw opportunities for self-directed decision-making, paths to preserving a working co-parenting relationship, and minimization of the financial devastation of divorce. It was a paradigm shift that changed everything I thought I knew about how to help couples legally end their relationship or marriage. The traditional model of litigants hiring a pit-bull-esque attorney who would eviscerate “the enemy” was so against how, as a human woman and mother, I was wired to operate. The mediation and collaborative divorce modalities allow me to use my legal acumen and creative problem-solving skills to help my clients obtain maximum benefit with dignity and self-direction. Children need never be collateral damage in their parents’ legal battles. As a professional, I find much greater satisfaction and fulfillment operating in a system that aligns with my personal values. Unfortunately, mediation and collaborative divorce aren’t available to everyone – especially when one of the parties is bound and determined to engage in legal warfare. So, when court is unavoidable for my law firm’s clients, our approach is to use strategic negotiations to settle cases. If a case cannot be settled, we will skillfully advocate and litigate for our client by strategically and surgically choosing the battles that are likely to deliver maximum results with minimal collateral damage. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Challenging the status quo of long-established governmental systems and prevailing beliefs and practices about how to go about divorcing one’s spouse has certainly not been a smooth road. When I underwent the paradigm shift that convinced me that allowing a stranger in a black robe to make critical decisions about one’s children, finances, and future is the hallmark of irrationality, I made it my professional mission to educate attorneys, judges, mental health professionals, financial professional, and the average citizenry about the benefit of mediation and Collaborative Divorce methods. In rural upstate Northeastern New York, where I practice law, that has not been a straightforward “sell.” Challenging long-standing beliefs and practices makes the people who hold such beliefs AND those who are invested in maintaining the status quo VERY uncomfortable. Changing habits is hard. Changing beliefs is even harder. Some of my peer attorneys feel threatened by mediation and collaboration. Many feel that the switch from the skillset of a trial attorney to the skillset of a problem-solving attorney is drastic or that litigation is in their “DNA.” Some of my peer attorneys see litigation as a cash cow and are thus afraid that more efficient, lower-cost modalities to get divorced will negatively impact their bottom line. For those attorneys they cannot grasp the personal and professional benefits of a professional practice that involves less stress and higher profit margins. Perhaps for some, the adrenalin rush of courtroom battles is addicting. Or their egos are wrapped up in the pitbull reputation. I would much rather help 5x more clients reach non-litigious outcomes, each at 1/5 of the cost of a litigated divorce or custody matter, because each of those cases use 1/5 of the resources of a typical litigated divorce. In the scenario I have suggested, I would produce the same revenue to my law firm for the same amount of professional service hours but with infinitely happier clients and an infinitely happier attorney on the assist. That’s what I call a win-win. 

As you know, we’re big fans of WhitsonLaw PLLC and Mediated Online Solutions, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Whitson Law is a Certified Divorce Specialists (CDS®) Aligned Firm. Our firm specializes in a comprehensive range of family law matters, including divorce, mediation, custody, child support, protective orders, adoption, and more. Our experienced team of attorneys and mediators includes native Spanish speakers. We also offer Collaborative Divorce services. 

We serve New York residents in Essex, Clinton, Warren, Albany, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schoharie, Greene, Franklin, and Washington Counties. 

With a commitment to providing effective solutions, our legal professionals bring a combination of legal expertise, courtroom experience, and problem-solving skills to assist clients both in and out of court. 

Recognizing the emotional challenges associated with family law issues we understand the emotional challenges that come with family law issues, and our focus on compassion and empathy ensures the best experience for you as our client. 

Understanding the urgency of resolving legal matters, we are dedicated to efficiency, working diligently to minimize the financial impact on our clients. For personalized assistance tailored to your unique situation, contact us today. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to collaborate with you throughout the legal process. 

At Mediated Online Solutions, we know that you want to avoid a bitter battle as you divorce. You’d like to work out an agreement with your Ex, but you also realize that the communication problems that contributed to your breakup are going to get in the way of your negotiations. You are no doubt feeling worried because the decisions you will need to make are too important and long-lasting to risk getting it wrong. That’s where we come in. Our Mediation Team is here to help you find a way forward with the support and experience you need to successfully negotiate your way to a no-court divorce. You are only one phone call away from peace of mind. 

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I grew up in Poughkeepsie, New York. I am the youngest of six children and the first generation of college-educated children on both of my parents’ side of my lineage. I grew up in a suburban neighborhood of single-family houses situated on small lots and inhabited by families with lots of children. Outdoor fun from dawn to dusk was the mainstay of my childhood. I was an avid reader and developed a very broad and esoteric vocabulary by doing newspaper crossword puzzles each evening with my dad. I also developed a love and talent for gymnastics. I excelled academically and initially had dreams of one day becoming a novelist. Then, when I was 14 years old, a brutal homicide of a schoolmate shattered the feeling of small-town safety that marked my childhood. The victim was a close friend of my brother, and like everyone else in our small community, I watched the news of the criminal case with intense interest. It was, not surprisingly, the first time I had ever paid attention to law or crime as a youngster. The case had some unique legal twists and turns that gave rise to a real possibility that the confessed killer might go unpunished for a legal technicality that could prevent compelling evidence (the victim’s body and other evidence of the crime found in the accused’s home) from being admitted into evidence at a trial, thereby making an acquittal a real possibility. In my naivete, I thought a criminal justice system that would permit such an outcome was “broken.” I vowed that I would be the champion to “fix” that broken system, and it was then that I decided that I would go to law school to become a criminal prosecutor. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://whitsonlawfirm.com https://mediatedonlinesolutions.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitsonlaw/ https://www.instagram.com/mediatedonlinesolutions/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitsonlaw https://www.facebook.com/MediatedOnlineSolutions
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-whitson-ba119019/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/70121215/admin/feed/posts/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/53107303/admin/feed/posts/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@whitsonlawfirm