Mediation
Mag. Sophie WallnerWallner MediationA solution that both sides can stand behind.
I help couples, families, neighbours and business partners resolve their conflict themselves: in a structured, confidential and impartial way. Family mediation can be subsidised by the Austrian Federal Chancellery.
Focus areas
Typical matters our clients bring to us
A selection of the matters clients bring to us.
Separating with children
You remain parents even when the relationship ends.
Blended families
New roles, old rules and many expectations.
Disputes over an estate
When siblings disagree about the estate.
Caring for parents
Who takes on what, and who covers which costs?
Trouble with neighbours
Noise, boundaries, trees, shared areas.
Handing over a family business
Planning succession without dividing the family.
Shareholder disputes
When partners no longer talk to each other.
Court-ordered first meeting
Information meeting on mediation in custody proceedings (section 107 (3) AußStrG).
Services
Legal clarity for your situation
We listen, assess your situation and tell you openly which options you have and what they cost.
Book a consultationSeparation and divorce mediation
Maintenance, division of assets and the marital home, custody and contact: together you work out an agreement which you then have legally reviewed and implemented.
Parenting agreements
Care, contact, holidays and communication between the parents: arrangements that suit the children's ages and can be adjusted later.
Inheritance and generational mediation
An estate shared among siblings, caring for parents, handing over the family business: we clarify expectations before they turn into disputes.
Neighbour mediation
Noise, boundaries, hedges and trees. If trees take away light or air, an attempt to settle is required before going to court; mediation with a registered mediator is one way to meet this requirement (section 364 (3) ABGB).
Business mediation
Disputes between shareholders, with business partners or in company succession: confidential, clearly structured and with a predictable time commitment.
Conflicts within teams
Mediation and facilitation for tensions in teams, departments and associations, with a clear agreement on what management is told and what stays in the room.
How we work
The principles of my work
Mediation follows clear rules. They give the process its framework and protect everyone involved, even if no agreement is reached in the end.
Voluntary participation
Everyone takes part voluntarily and can end the mediation at any time.
Impartiality
I represent no one and do not advise either side separately. Everyone gets the same amount of space.
Confidentiality
As a registered mediator I am bound by law to confidentiality (section 18 ZivMediatG).
Self-determination
The solution comes from you. I structure, ask questions and record the results.
Informed decisions
Before you sign an agreement I recommend getting legal advice, and I point this out in good time.
Co-mediation
In family matters a lawyer and a psychotherapist work together, as a mixed-gender team if you wish.
I don't decide who is right. I make sure you can listen to each other again.
About us
Room for difficult conversations
I am a lawyer by training and have been on the list of mediators kept by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice since 2013. Before that I spent several years at a family counselling centre in Linz, giving separating parents legal information, and saw how much strength court proceedings can take.
In mediation it is not me who decides, it is you. My job is to guide the conversation so that everyone is heard, interests become visible and agreements emerge that work in everyday life. In family mediation I work as a co-team with psychotherapist Mag. Thomas Leitner.
My rooms in the centre of Linz are deliberately furnished like a calm living room: no desk between the parties, a round table and, if needed, separate waiting areas.
- Registered with the Ministry of Justice
- Co-mediation: law and psychotherapy
- Subsidised family mediation
- Evening appointments
Mag. Sophie WallnerRegistered mediator, lawyer
How we work
How working with us works
Enquiry
One person gets in touch by phone or email. Please don't send details of the conflict yet: I invite everyone involved on equal terms.
Information meeting
30 minutes, free of charge: process, costs, subsidies and confidentiality. Afterwards everyone decides freely whether to start.
Mediation sessions
Sessions of 90 minutes each: gathering topics, clarifying interests, developing options and negotiating.
Agreement
I put the results in writing. You have them legally reviewed and, if needed, made enforceable at court or with a notary.
A look inside
Our offices
Our team
Who will look after you
Mag. Sophie Wallner
Registered mediator, lawyer
Mag. Thomas Leitner
Co-mediator, psychotherapist
Andrea Aigner
Office and scheduling
Fees
Fees & costs
You find out in advance how the costs are calculated, what to expect and whether an insurance policy may cover them.
The parties usually share the costs; we record the split in the mediation agreement. In subsidised family mediation the fee is €220 per hour for the pair of mediators; you only pay the co-payment set out in the 2026 tariff table, and the Federal Chancellery covers the rest. No subsidy is available from a joint net monthly income of €6,801.
Information meeting
30 minutes
For all parties together, without obligation
0 €
Mediation with one mediator
per hour
net, plus 20% VAT
160 €
Co-mediation with two mediators
per hour
net for both mediators together, plus 20% VAT
260 €
Subsidised family mediation
Co-payment per hour
Depending on joint income and number of children, subsidised for up to 12 hours
0–120 €
Business mediation
per hour
net, plus 20% VAT, day rates on request
220 €
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Your question is not listed? Feel free to give us a call.
+43 732 23 45 12- How does subsidised family mediation work?
- The Federal Chancellery subsidises mediation in separation, divorce and matters concerning the children if a co-team from a legal and a psychosocial profession mediates. You pay an hourly co-payment based on your joint income and number of children, and up to 12 hours are subsidised. We work out your amount together in the information meeting.
- Does everything we say stay confidential?
- Yes. Registered mediators and their staff are bound by law to confidentiality (section 18 ZivMediatG). What is discussed in mediation I do not pass on, not even to a court.
- What happens to deadlines while we are in mediation?
- Starting and properly continuing mediation with a registered mediator suspends deadlines for the claims concerned (section 22 ZivMediatG). So you don't lose any rights just because you try talking first. For specific deadlines, please also get advice from a lawyer.
- Do we also need lawyers?
- Not for the mediation itself. I am impartial and do not advise either side separately. Before you sign an agreement, however, I recommend that each side has it reviewed by their own lawyer.
- What if the other side doesn't want to come?
- Mediation is voluntary. If you wish, I will send the other side a neutral invitation to the free information meeting. It often helps when the invitation doesn't come from the person you are in conflict with.
- How binding is the outcome?
- The written final agreement records what you have agreed on. Once signed, it is usually a contract between you. It becomes enforceable if, for example, you include it in a court settlement in divorce proceedings or have it drawn up as an enforceable notarial deed (Notariatsakt). Which route suits you is best discussed with your lawyers.
How to find us
Office hours & directions
| Day | Time |
|---|---|
| Monday | 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 09:00 AM – 07:30 PM |
| Wednesday | 09:00 AM – 05:00 PM |
| Thursday | 09:00 AM – 07:30 PM |
| Friday | 09:00 AM – 01:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Sessions by appointment only, on Tuesdays and Thursdays also in the evening. You can reach us by phone Monday to Thursday from 9 am to 12 noon.
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Wallner MediationHerrenstraße 18, 4020 Linz, Austria
kontakt@mediation-wallner.example
Get directions(opens in a new tab)Tell us about your matter
Call us or write to us. We will get back to you within one working day and tell you how to proceed.