Cynthia Saffir

Description of Practice

I am a specially trained, experienced elder care mediator, conflict resolution specialist, and communication strategist. At Elder Resolution Partners, LLC our area of expertise is facilitating  family meetings and helping family members resolve conflict in a safe, private and organized environment.

Conflict happens, even among family members who share the goals of making the best decisions with and for an aging loved one, how best to use (or preserve) family resources or how to divide and distribute family assets.  Conflict often strains family relationships and may paralyze a family that needs to move forward as a family when faced with difficult decisions or a sudden emergency.  Our goal at Elder Resolution Partners, LLC is to help families resolve conflict without expensive and unpredictable legal action and without the disruption of family relationships that can result from contentious court proceedings. We believe family conflict should be resolved in the living room, not in the courtroom.™ 

Elder Resolution Partners, LLC guides families through a confidential, structured family meeting, making sure that each participant gets an opportunity to be heard, that necessary information is gathered, that all available options and possible solutions are explored, so that the family can make  plan that addresses the family's unique needs and concerns. 

Professional Background

I practiced law for over 25 years and am still an active member of the State Bar of California.   I stopped practicing law in 2008,, however,  after realizing that I no longer wanted to spend my time and energy creating conflict through litigation.  Instead, I wanted to help people resolve conflict through a much less adversarial, less expensive and confidential process -- mediation.  In about 2011, I decided to limit my practice to mediation of family issues and family related disputes, and formed a company, Elder Resolution Partners, LLC with my business partner, Marci Barrett, who shares my passion about working with families and, in particular, with seniors and adult siblings.

Mediation Approach & Philosophy

I believe that one of the key requirements to resolving disputes is to ensure all participants get a full opportunity to express their needs, concerns and opinions -- without interruption. I also believe that it is essential for all participants to exhibit respect for each other and for us to encourage relative calm throughout the mediation. That is not to say, however, that family members don't get emotional or upset during mediation sessions; but being emotional doesn't mean you can't be respectful of others. Unlike the way most mediators handle mediation of litigated cases, which is to keep the parties in separate rooms and conduct "shuttle diplomacy", we almost exclusively use "joint sessions" in which everyone is in the same room throughout the mediation. Most family mediation participants want to maintain (and hopefully improve) relationships with other family members and we find that is more likely accomplished when mediation participants remain together throughout the mediation. Another key difference between our mediation approach and the approach of most other mediators is that my business partner and I co-mediate virtually all matters. That means we are both present during all mediations or family meetings. While this does not increase the amount of our fees, it does allow up to be much more aware of what is going on with all participants, rather than just focussing on the current speaker.

Representative Cases Handled as a Mediator

Living arrangements, sharing of responsibilities, and financial considerations concerning care of an aging parent. "Rest of Life" family conversations to allow family members to learn and understand an aging parent's wishes for the remainder of his or her life. Division of family assets following death of a parent or parents when parents' instructions are unclear or only provide for equal distribution of assets without further instruction. Division of property/assets of divorcing couple.

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