Mediation

Help participants move forward

We do not believe in telling anyone to "move on" or "move past" a conflict. Rather, we believe in meeting people where they are and helping them find a way to move forward from there. Although mediation is not about adjudicating a grievance to determine who is legally right or legally wrong, the process can and should look at where the parties are and how they got there in order to help them find a new path.

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Allow for safe, non-confrontational dialogue

Mediation should never feel confrontational or unsafe. We offer online mediation where the parties (and their attorneys, if participating) can participate from the comfort of a private space of their choosing. Whether in person or online, mediation generally follows the same structure.

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First, each side goes to an assigned room, separate from the other side. They'll stay in their separate rooms without facing or talking to each other, unless they've all agreed they would like to have a joint opening or closing session. The mediator meets with each side separately and is the only person who can go back and forth between the rooms.

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Encourage honest discussion and problem solving

What's shared in each room is confidential unless the mediator is told otherwise. This lets participants talk openly and frankly about the situation and what they need from a resolution. The mediator then works with each side to understand the conflict and the needs and goals.

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Achieve a range of wider range of remedies

Civil lawsuits are usually limited in what they can achieve. A money judgment and occasionally injunctions are the most common remedies. Participants in a mediation, however, have the ability to think creatively and holistically about what would help them resolve the conflict.

 

The ideal outcome of any mediation is to help the participants reach a solution that everyone can live with. If an agreement is reached, the key terms are written down and signed by the participants.