Martine Wernsen
I have been working as a lawyer for 19 years. I have been working on cases of family law and juvenile law, as well as criminal law and psychiatric patient law.
I currently work only as a lawyer or mediator in family law cases.
In particular, I write divorce covenants and parenting plans. Often, the parties already know how they want to shape the future. Then I can help them with the final details. Sometimes parties have disputes that they cannot resolve and I can use my experience to help the parties to find a solution.
Also, I help parents who wish to relocate with their child, or who seek permission from the other parent or the court for a holiday with a child, or permission to obtain a passport for a child. I can assist parents to create a good (international) visitation schedule or (international) parenting plan.
In a case of parental child abduction, you can contact me for advice or to start a return procedure at the court of The Hague, in The Netherlands. You can read more about this subject on www.carefulchildrelocation.com.
My way of mediating
I would like my clients to be well-informed. My goal is to offer them lots of information and examples, so that they can find solutions that suit them them. My clients are not the first to go through this process. And while it is a very personal process, you can learn a lot from others who have gone through the same experience.
I will tell them what subjects are related, what information is relevant and what is the legal context. It makes sense that the parties should have reasonable expectations of how a judge would evaluate the case if mediation fails. Sometimes third-party advice can be helpful.
We can talk about what feelings and transitional fases are common after separation. Feelings of grief, shame, guilt, regret, disappointment and loss may come up in the conversation. Parties must be willing to listen to each other and take an honest look at themselves.
I encourage my clients to have an open mind, and show flexibility and creativity. Modern life offers modern families the opportunity to make arrangements that suit them. Let’s forget about living a “picture perfect” life. Let’s talk about you, your family and how you want to live your life.

I am registered at www.carefulchildrelocation.com.
This is a website that I created to give more information about and child relocation and (preventing) international child abduction.
Who I recommend
Deepa is an expat mom, living with her family in The Hague. She coaches people with various issues, with the goal to have all her clients meet their full potential. She can help you deal with life changing events, such as divorce and international relocation. She is very down to earth and easy to approach with no obligation to any long term commitment. She uses FaceTime to connect with her clients from all over the globe. I appreciate Deepa for her kindness, her class and her positive spirit.