Accord Mediation in Tullamore - A path to resolution

With an extensive background in family law in her home country of Brazil, solicitor Carolina Unal has opened Accord Mediation, a new service at Axis Business Park in Tullamore. She's determined to show that mediation can play a huge part in solving conflicts and changing the lives of local people in the Midlands.

Growing up in Brazil, Carolina was reared in a family of solicitors. She reflected on her experiences stating:

"My father specialised in couples going through separation. I often remember as a child, being in his office and these people fighting with the children around and it always stuck with me."

These early memories shaped Carolina's preference in her law school studies. She recollected:

"In the first year of law school, we did mediation action and I really liked it. I wanted to try to help people reconcile rather than letting their problems become bigger."

She further enhanced her legal experience within the family business before setting off on her own journey in new surroundings.

"I finished law school and I continued working with my father and brother in their practice before deciding to relocate to Ireland with my family."

After arriving in Offaly, Carolina wanted to offer her legal knowledge and experience to the local community.

"I worked in a solicitor’s office in Tullamore with Verona Smyth as a legal secretary, she does family law and often sends clients to mediation especially when children are involved, I then decided to do a mediation course so that I could set up my own business."

Carolina qualified as a mediator after she completed accredited Conflict Dynamics and Mediation Skills training in Dublin where she specialised in Family Mediation (separating/divorcing couples) and is also a member of the Mediators’ Institute of Ireland (MII).

In addition to English, Carolina speaks Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish, which enables her to work with clients from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, providing support with clarity and sensitivity.

Her business, Accord Mediation aims to provide a comprehensive range of independent mediation services across family, workplace, and community disputes, focusing on creating a safe, respectful, and confidential space for effective communication and resolution.

Carolina insisted that the experience of working in Tullamore equipped her well to set up the mediation business in the town.

"Verona Smyth really inspired me so much with the way that she deals with clients and I'm so grateful that I got the chance to work with her, she was the first person that opened the doors for me to work in the law offices here, it showed me that Tullamore would be a very good place for a mediation business.

She is now hoping to use her legal expertise to help people throughout the Midlands.

"I feel like the people really need it as they don't always know how to resolve problems. Even if it's just a small issue then they think it must be brought to the solicitor but actually they can converse in a respectful way through mediation to repair and build the relationship."

Carolina says Accord Mediation will offer a very confidential and impartial process to those that need assistance. "People can visit us without having to show everyone they're having problems, this will allow them to focus on their children's needs."

She added: "We are impartial so it isn't like talking to family and friends because everyone can give an opinion but you might not be any closer to actually solving the situation. When you have the mediator, they can take it through their process and relieve the situation."

Carolina believes that seeking help through mediation can have a huge impact on resolving conflicts. "Mediation is a process, Sometimes people tend to think that the situation isn't being solved but just by them being there is already a huge step because they are actually trying to address the issue when they might not originally have known how to handle it."

She says the objective of the new business is to showcase the extent of what mediation can do for clients. "I believe a lot of people don't know what mediation is. I'm setting up a business in Tullamore to try to help local people understand that mediation can change their lives for the better.

In mediation we don't give advice, we don't tell people what they should and shouldn't be doing. The solution is always in their own hands, we just help them to have a constructive conversation about it.

This helps the solicitors too because they are overwhelmed with cases that might not have needed to go as far as them or the courts in the first place so these are my goals especially for families with children."

Accord Mediation is open five days a week, Monday to Friday from 9:30am to 5pm at Axis Business Park in Ballyduff, Tullamore.

You can find more information at www.accordmediation.site or get in contact with Carolina by phone at 085 132 5278 or by email at info.accordmediation@gmail.com for all your mediation needs.

*Sponsored Content