Okay, maybe you've changed your mind, but here's my thoughts on mediation. My H and I did it 2 years ago. Our mediator was also a lawyer, but independent. It took 3 or 4 sessions to get it all worked out and get a draft separation agreement (Nov 1, 2003). At that point we were supposed to each run it by our individual lawyers for review and finalization.
H would bring it up only when he got mad. I told him he had to go to his L first, since I didn't want to use time or money I didn't really have to go twice. In January '04, he was mad about taxes and said "it's at my lawyer's right now!" In March '05, he sent an email titled "pending events" saying he saw his lawyer, the SA would be ready for me to take to my L in one week, it could be rolled into the divorce decree, and "the divorce would just be a formality". I didn't respond and have not heard one more thing about it. I have no idea what he's thinking and am afraid to ask. We've gotten along fairly well for the past year or so since he and OW split, but it has not progressed to the next step yet.
Anyway, I would recommend mediation. We had a house and a kid to deal with, and we got it done. It was emotionally draining and at times very hard but I think it was better than the lawyer to lawyer back and forth, both from a financial and adversarial standpoint.
The mediator we used was in Westminster, MD, if you are anywhere near there.
