“Court, in our society, is often the last resort of stubbornness.”
~Erica Jong
Mediation creates the opportunity for people to have a conversation instead of a lawsuit about what has brought them to the mediation table. It is meant to be a voluntary and confidential process in which a neutral mediator assists in their dispute to see if people are able to reach a mutual agreement in a cooperative and non-confrontational place. Mediation is designed to be informal where people can retain control over the decision-making process. The cost is far less than going to court on both a financial and emotional level. A properly conducted mediation reduces hostility and usually offers results that work because studies have shown that mediation generally results in a high level of participant satisfaction.
I am available to intervene in your dispute, whether it is a commercial, legal, diplomatic, workplace, community, or family matter. My goal is to provide a structured, interactive process where I will assist in resolving your conflict through the use of specialized communication and negotiation techniques. I focus primarily upon the needs, rights, and interests of the parties and use a wide variety of techniques to guide the process in a constructive direction and to help the parties find their optimal solution. I am trained to facilitate rather than direct the mediation. Facilitative mediation means I help people learn each other’s interests with the goal of reaching a durable agreement. During the process, I help people clarify issues, consider their options, and reach workable settlements that fit individual needs. Time and again it has been demonstrated that mediated agreements are generally more acceptable and sustainable since people make their own solutions.
I hold a 40-hour Certificate in Basic Mediation in compliance with Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 233 § 23C, and the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution Rule 8(c)(i). MWI’s Forty-Hour Weekday Mediation Training is designed to prepare managers, executives, lawyers, HR, and other professionals on how to effectively facilitate the mediation process.
In addition, my association as “of counsel” with the Law Offices of Bruce A. Bierhans, LLC, allows me to provide clients with Attorney Bierhans’ 39 years of trial experience in the areas of business, probate, and family law, as well as all aspects of personal injury representation including motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, products liability, medical malpractice, and general negligence. This professional relationship taps his office’s impressive record of success in all aspects of civil litigation, including wrongful death cases, will contests, divorce litigation, broker/dealer cases, non-compete litigation, nursing home litigation, elder abuse/scam litigation, and securities litigation.