Questions
What people want to know before they book
What a mediator does
Is a mediator a judge?
No. A mediator doesn’t decide. They guide the conversation, keep track of what you’ve agreed and write it down. Only the two of you can settle.
Is a mediator on one person’s side?
No. We represent neither of you, and we don’t give either of you legal advice. If one of you wants advice, that’s what your own lawyer is for.
Does what we say stay in the room?
In general, yes. What’s said in mediation is usually protected from being used later, with exceptions that depend on where the dispute is. We’ll explain the limits on your intake call, and each of you signs a confidentiality agreement before the first session.
Getting started
Does the other person have to agree first?
You can write to us alone. If you’d like, we’ll invite them. If they decline, nothing is lost, and you’ll know where you stand.
What do we bring to the first session?
A list of what has to be decided, and the documents the decisions depend on: a lease, an operating agreement, a budget or last year’s tax return. We’ll tell you exactly what on your intake call.
How long does mediation take?
One session settles some matters. Others need two or three. We plan the sessions with you at the start and tell you before any one is added.
After the sessions
Is the agreement binding?
A signed summary shows what you’ve decided. Whether it becomes a binding contract or a court order depends on what it covers, and your lawyers, or a court, turn it into the final form.
What if one of us stops following it?
Come back to us first. If that doesn’t work, either of you can speak with a lawyer.
What if the two of us can’t agree?
You can stop at any point and take any other path you had before. You’ve paid for the time, not for an outcome.
Something we didn’t cover?
Call or write, and a mediator will answer it. There’s no cost to ask.