In Mediation the parties make their own decisions. The mediator’s role is not to act as a judge, an advocate, to give legal advice or to protect any party’s interests. It is therefore advisable for each party to retain a lawyer for legal advice. At the end of the mediation process, the mediator normally provides a summary of the agreement to be reviewed by the parties. It is recommended that the agreement be reviewed by a lawyer before being accepted and finalized. A lawyer can also have the agreement incorporated into a court order or a legally binding agreement, should it be beneficial.