Allow our firm to help you avoid litigation before it begins. We can help you bring closure to an issue before it gets too big — giving you peace of mind and saving you money.
What is Mediation?
Mediation is one option people and businesses can take to fix a problem before it gets worse. Mediation usually occurs when the situation is so severe, it looks clearly to be leading up to litigation. Sometimes this might be as simple as coming together with your landlord to figure out what charges you actually owe before you take your landlord to court to get your deposit back, or even as large as a $150 million dollar contract where the deal breaker is the inclusion of one simple clause. We’ve handled both of these situations and more.
According to the American Bar Association, mediation is a “quick, inexpensive way to work out their differences while addressing everyone’s needs and interests. Decisions reached in mediation are created by the people who are in conflict, not imposed on them by a judge. Mediation encourages direct communication between the parties, helps people decide for themselves, allows for the expression of emotions, defuses anger, explores creative means of solving problems, promotes cooperation, preserves the strengths of an ongoing relationship, helps people accept the consequences of their own decisions and develops a model for resolution of future conflicts” (American Bar Association, Mediation).
How is Arbitration different from Mediation?
Parties usually decide to resolve a dispute by arbitration in advance, and usually in a contract. Occasionally, though, the parties might agree to arbitration after a dispute arises. Because each arbitration agreement is unique, it’s important that you contact an attorney immediately to determine your rights and the timeline that you have to follow. Often, requests for arbitration must be initiated within 30 or 90 days of a dispute. Learn more about Arbitration through the American Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section here. (Heads up! Click this link will open/download a PDF document, depending on your browser settings. If you’re unsure whether you want to do that now, just bookmark this page and come back later.)
How do I know which one is right for me?
Don’t know which one is right for you? It’s okay. Contact us today and let’s talk about it.
Sheila M. Wilkinson 