Men are at a disadvantage in mediation. As in the case of women, men can often obtain a better result in mediation than they can in court by negotiating an agreement that considers non-legal factors. Mediation is more hassle than hiring a lawyer to handle the divorce. Whether divorcing spouses mediate or hire a lawyer to handle the divorce, they have to do a certain amount of legwork in gathering information and making decisions. In contrast, using the courts is cumbersome and expensive.
Mediation is for wimps.
They don't have lawyers speaking for them and telling them what to do. As a result, people who mediate often come out of their divorce with greater communication skills and self-confidence. Mediation makes the divorce take longer. Unless the spouses have worked everything out ahead of time, having lawyers handle the divorce will almost always take as long or longer than mediating, even if the lawyers are able to settle out of court. There's no place for lawyers in mediation.