Most people believe that legal conflicts must be resolved by a Judge through the litigation process; a litigation process that can be emotionally traumatic and expensive. However, there is another alternative to resolve legal disputes. Mediation is an alternative dispute resolution process that is designed to assist parties in resolving their legal conflicts without the need for court intervention. With the assistance of a skilled Mediator, parties are given the opportunity to explore all aspects of their legal dilemma and resolve their legal conflict in a way that is mutually agreeable to both people. In this way, it is the parties who end up deciding their case – not a judge, jury, or arbitrator who decides the case for them.

Mediation is conducted in a safe environment that is much less stressful than the sterile confines of a courtroom. During the mediation process, a skilled mediator seeks to understand the position of each party and what their overall goals and objectives are. The Mediator is completely impartial and does not represent either party. A Mediator’s goal is to assist the parties to reach a mutually acceptable resolution to their legal conflict. Through discussion and problem solving, alternative resolutions are explored with the objective of reaching a resolution that meets the overall goals and objectives of both parties. Once that resolution is achieved, it is legally binding. The legal conflict is resolved and the matter comes to an end. The parties resolve their conflict without the stress and expense of litigation with a resolution that both parties believe in.

You may be wondering if you would be “forced” to sit in the same room with the opposing party during a mediation. The answer is “No!” Many mediations are conducted with each party sitting in separate conference rooms and it is the Mediator that goes back and forth between the parties in helping to negotiate a final resolution.

Joseph Lombino has served as a Mediator for the past 25 years and during that time has helped parties successfully resolve their legal differences through the mediation process. If you believe that mediation would be right for you, we are here to help you.