I've been on that road for 8 years now. First started with mediation, hen my ex got herself a lawyer who did not want to deal with me directly. So I felt I had to get a lawyer (big mistake). The two of them have been playing with us for the last 6 years.
Both my ex and I have spent about $50k on this nonesense.
My advice to you is, read up about what it means to get separated / divorced. For starters, don't expect a fair outcome - you will see that the system is not in your favor (if you are the guy). If you have children, it can get more complicated. Be ready to leave a few things behind.