Mediation—Good people frequently have difficult problems. Individuals and families involved in legal disputes know all too well that the time, expense, and emotional impact involved in a lawsuit exact a costly price even if the case settles. As court dockets have become more congested, there has been a greater focus on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) such as mediation. Mediation is a process in which a third-party neutral, whether one mediator or more, acts as a facilitator to assist in resolving a dispute between two or more parties. It is a non-adversarial approach to conflict resolution, where the parties generally communicate directly; the role of the mediator is to facilitate communication between the parties, assist them in focusing on the real issues of the dispute, and generate options for settlement.

ADR provides a viable option for those who prefer to stay out of court and has many potential advantages for most litigants, including:

• Reduced cost
• Efficient resolution
• Less emotional stress
• Flexibility with rules and procedures
• Control over the results

Boyd Veigel focuses a portion of practice in the area of mediation and ADR. We have devoted a substantial amount of time to continuing education and advanced training, and our mediation experience often allows parties to resolve their disputes in a cost effective, efficient, amicable manner. For further information about mediation, please contact us today.