| Lawsuits are costly and often | | | | Mediation is voluntary, so you always |
| unnecessary when dealing with conflict. | | | | reserve the right to proceed with |
| Often it is just a matter of separating | | | | litigation if you want. |
| the people from the problem. There is | | | | It's Affordable. Hiring an attorney can |
| no need to make the process any more | | | | cost thousands of dollars for even a |
| difficult. Mediation offers a | | | | simple case, without a firm guarantee of |
| collaborative solution to the otherwise | | | | proper resolution. Mediation provides |
| adversarial model. | | | | an affordable alternative to costly |
| Should I take them to court? What are | | | | litigation. |
| my options? Well, lawsuits have their | | | | It's Fast. Lawsuits can take years off |
| place and function, but in some | | | | your life in waster time, frustration, |
| instances, such as on-going | | | | money, and emotional pain. Mediation |
| relationships, lawsuits is like trying | | | | usually takes only a fraction of the |
| to remove a fly from a person's head | | | | time that the legal system takes. |
| with a hatchet. I am often asked what | | | | It's Confidential. Cases handled in |
| are the benefits of resolving a dispute | | | | court are typically open to the public, |
| through mediation versus traditional | | | | so anyone can listen in on your private |
| litigation. Here is a list of benefits | | | | life. Confidentially in a mediation is |
| that mediation can provide. | | | | protected by law, so you can resolve |
| It's A Reality Check. Individuals, | | | | your dispute with privacy and with |
| business, and organizations often use | | | | dignity. |
| the tactic of playing deaf when you have | | | | It's Empowering. Traditional litigation |
| a complaint, hoping that you will lose | | | | is hostile, adversarial, and aggressive. |
| interest over time and go away. | | | | It focuses on assigning blame and |
| Mediation is the bridge between direct | | | | punishment. Mediation doesn't assign |
| negotiation and the legal system. It | | | | blame or punishment-it seeks to invent |
| lets the other side know that you are | | | | solution to a mutual problem through |
| serious and that you want them to come | | | | cooperative problem-solving. |
| voluntarily to the negotiating table | | | | It's Emotionally Healthy. The legal |
| while they still have a chance. By | | | | system rarely takes the psychological or |
| asking them to attend mediation, you are | | | | emotional factors of either party into |
| building them a golden bridge towards | | | | account. Litigation is cold, hard, and |
| agreement and all they have to do is | | | | uncaring. Both parties are instructed |
| choose to walk across. | | | | not to talk to each other and neither |
| It's Safe. The legal system awards | | | | side gets to voice their concerns. |
| unfair and aggressive tactics, making | | | | Mediation uses the psychological power |
| the playing field unequal. In | | | | of empathy to create mutual |
| mediation, you are in complete control | | | | understanding between parties to address |
| throughout the process. The mediator | | | | concerns, promote emotional healing, and |
| will not permit any unfair tactics, so | | | | preserve ongoing relationships. |
| the playing filed is equalized. | | | | |