Helping Families Find Common Ground

Compassionate Mediation for Life's Most Difficult Conversations

When family relationships are strained by difficult decisions about elder care, inheritance, or life changes, finding common ground can feel impossible. As a certified Texas mediator, I help families navigate these challenging conversations with dignity, respect, and practical solutions that preserve relationships.

Start Your Resolution Today
Parents in conflict pulling child in different directions representing family disputes

The Cost of Conflict

Family disputes destroy relationships, create emotional trauma, and often lead to expensive, drawn-out legal battles. When families can't communicate, everyone loses—especially the children and loved ones caught in the middle.

Happy family with parents cooperating representing successful mediation outcome

A Better Path Forward

Mediation provides a confidential, respectful environment where families can have difficult conversations, find common ground, and create solutions that work for everyone. Preserve relationships while resolving disputes.

About Lynnette Nadeau

Certified Mediator | Common Ground Mediation | Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas

At Common Ground Mediation, I help individuals, families, businesses, and community stakeholders resolve disputes efficiently, respectfully, and without unnecessary litigation. As a certified Texas mediator serving Dallas, Fort Worth, and surrounding communities, I bring decades of real-world negotiation and conflict resolution experience to every mediation I facilitate.

Mediation is not just about settling disputes. It's about clarifying interests, restoring communication, and helping people reach durable agreements they can stand behind.

If you are seeking support for a personal or family matter, you can learn more about my Family Mediation Services. For contract, partnership, or commercial disputes, visit Business Mediation.

A Career Built on Negotiation and Alignment

Long before becoming a certified mediator, my professional life centered on complex negotiations and stakeholder alignment.

In municipal government, I negotiated contracts between cities and private businesses, balancing public accountability with commercial realities. I worked directly with community groups and city departments to resolve conflicts, clarify expectations, and build practical solutions.

Under my guidance, one city achieved a 94% compliance rate with its downtown revitalization goals — a result made possible through strategic negotiation, collaborative problem-solving, and consistent stakeholder engagement.

I have also negotiated international agreements between museums for the exchange of aerospace exhibits and historic artifacts. These agreements required careful cross-cultural communication, detailed contract work, and coordination of multicultural celebrations surrounding the exchanges — ensuring that all parties felt respected and represented.

Entertainment Industry Negotiation Experience

Prior to public service, I built a career in the entertainment industry negotiating contracts for performers. I mediated disputes between entertainers and venues, resolved conflicts between clients and event professionals, and navigated high-pressure contractual disagreements where reputations and finances were at stake.

That experience sharpened my ability to:

  • Stay calm in emotionally charged situations
  • Separate positions from underlying interests
  • Draft workable agreements
  • Protect relationships while resolving disputes

These are the same core skills that define effective mediation today.

My Approach to Mediation in Texas

As a mediator serving Dallas–Fort Worth and surrounding Texas communities, I work with clients involved in:

  • Business and contract disputes
  • Family and custody matters
  • Divorce-related conflicts
  • Estate and inheritance disputes
  • Community and organizational conflicts
  • Neighbor and property disagreements

My role is neutral and structured. I do not take sides, impose decisions, or offer legal advice. Instead, I create a confidential, balanced environment where parties can be heard, identify common ground, and craft their own resolution.

Disputes are rarely just about money or policy. They are about communication, trust, expectations, and the need to feel understood. My work focuses on guiding productive dialogue so that parties can move forward with clarity and confidence.

Take the Next Step

If you are ready to move forward, you can Schedule a Mediation directly online.

Whether you need family mediation, business mediation, or help resolving a complex stakeholder dispute, Common Ground Mediation provides professional, confidential mediation services throughout Dallas–Fort Worth, Tarrant County and surrounding areas.

I would be honored to help you find common ground.

Mediation Services

I specialize in helping families and individuals resolve conflicts without the emotional and financial cost of litigation. Every mediation is confidential, voluntary, and designed to find solutions that work for everyone involved.

👵

Elder Care Mediation

When families disagree about care decisions for aging parents, emotions run high. I help siblings and family members navigate difficult conversations about living arrangements, medical care, financial support, and caregiving responsibilities. The goal is finding solutions that honor your loved one's wishes while addressing everyone's concerns.

🏛️

Estate & Inheritance Disputes

Inheritance conflicts can tear families apart. Whether it's disagreements over property distribution, estate planning, trust administration, or perceived unfairness in a will, mediation offers a confidential way to resolve these issues while preserving family relationships. I help families find equitable solutions without the time and expense of probate court battles.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Family Dispute Resolution

Family conflicts don't always fit into neat categories. Whether it's multi-generational disagreements, conflicts over shared property, financial disputes between relatives, or other family tensions, I provide neutral ground where everyone can be heard and work toward practical solutions.

🤝

Civil & Business Mediation

Not all disputes are family-related. I also mediate civil disagreements including neighbor disputes, contract conflicts, business partnership disagreements, workplace issues, and other civil matters. Mediation resolves these conflicts faster and more affordably than court.

🏠

Property & Boundary Disputes

Disagreements over property lines, shared property use, landlord-tenant issues, and real estate conflicts can escalate quickly. Mediation provides a practical forum to resolve these disputes while maintaining neighborly relations and avoiding costly litigation.

💼

Workplace & Professional Conflicts

When workplace relationships break down, productivity suffers and stress increases. I help resolve conflicts between coworkers, employer-employee disputes, professional partnership disagreements, and other workplace tensions in a confidential, professional setting.

The Mediation Process

Mediation is a structured yet flexible process designed to help you reach resolution efficiently. Here's what to expect when you work with Common Ground Mediation.

Professional mediation session with mediator facilitating discussion between parties
1

Initial Consultation

We start with a free consultation to discuss your situation, explain how mediation works, answer your questions, and determine if mediation is the right approach. This is also when we discuss logistics, timeline, and fees.

2

Pre-Mediation Preparation

Before the mediation session, I meet separately with each party to understand their perspective, gather relevant information, and establish ground rules. This ensures everyone comes to the table prepared and ready for productive conversation.

3

Mediation Session

During the mediation session, all parties come together in a neutral, confidential setting. I facilitate conversation, help identify common ground, explore options, and guide the group toward mutually acceptable solutions. Sessions typically last 2 to 4 hours but can be scheduled over multiple sessions if needed.

4

Agreement & Follow-Up

When resolution is reached, I help document the agreement in writing. This creates a clear record of what was decided and ensures everyone understands their commitments. Follow-up sessions are available if needed to address implementation questions or adjust agreements.

Why Choose Mediation?

Mediation offers significant advantages over traditional litigation, particularly when family relationships are at stake.

Preserve Relationships

Unlike court battles that create winners and losers, mediation focuses on finding solutions everyone can accept. This collaborative approach helps maintain family bonds and future relationships.

Cost-Effective

Mediation typically costs a fraction of what you'd spend on litigation. Most mediations resolve in one to three sessions, compared to months or years in court.

Confidential Process

Everything discussed in mediation remains private and confidential. Unlike court proceedings which become public record, mediation protects your family's privacy.

You Control the Outcome

In court, a judge decides what happens. In mediation, you and your family create solutions that work for your unique situation. You maintain control over the decisions that affect your life.

Faster Resolution

Court cases can drag on for months or years. Mediation sessions can often be scheduled within weeks, and many disputes resolve in just a few sessions.

Flexible & Creative Solutions

Courts are limited to specific remedies. Mediation allows for creative, customized solutions that address everyone's real needs and concerns, not just legal positions.

What Clients Say

While every mediation is confidential, here's what clients have shared about their experience finding common ground.

"

After months of fighting with my siblings over Mom's care, we were at a breaking point. Lynnette helped us have the conversations we'd been avoiding. We left with a plan everyone could accept and, more importantly, we're still talking to each other.

Sarah M.

Family Mediation Client

"

Our inheritance dispute was tearing the family apart. Lynnette gave each of us a chance to be heard without judgment. We found a solution that was fair and preserved our relationships. I wish we'd done this sooner instead of spending months with lawyers.

David L.

Estate Dispute Resolution

"

Lynnette advocated for our business as an intermediary with the city. Even though she was employed by the city, we felt she genuinely cared about reaching a fair agreement. We got the public parking we needed, and the city gained tax revenue from increased downtown traffic.

Mary R.

Business Owner

"

Lynnette was invaluable as our city liaison for the MLK Jr. Celebration. She negotiated with the state for highway closures, Parks & Recreation for staging, and Police for crowd control. Her ability to coordinate across multiple departments made our event possible.

Raymond P.

Event Committee Chair

"

Our 30-volunteer committee was at each other's throats over leadership and methods for a citywide tourism survey. Lynnette brought together the Chamber president, School Superintendent, and City Manager to establish clear goals. Under her guidance, we completed a year-long survey in 6 months and earned City Council accolades.

Susan S.

Committee Member

"

Lynnette helped us promote our WWII museum and create an international agreement between Canada, Great Britain, and the United States for exchanging documents and artifacts. Her diplomatic skill made this complex negotiation successful.

Caroline S.

Museum Director

Get Started Today

Ready to resolve your dispute and preserve your relationships? Schedule a free consultation to discuss your situation and learn how mediation can help.

Contact Information

📞
Phone
469-708-7771
📍
Service Area
Texas & Nationwide
Virtual & In-Person Sessions Available
🕐
Hours
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Evening & Weekend Appointments Available

Send Us a Message

Prefer to send a message? Fill out the form below and we'll get back to you within 24 hours.