Mediation Services in Houston

Houston Business Law Attorney

In many fields of law, a successful case resolution relies heavily on powerful and effective negotiations between two or more parties. There are many legal issues where two or more parties would benefit enormously by what the legal community refers to as mediation. What exactly is mediation and how can it benefit you?

Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), and is a cost-effective way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. The trained mediator (neutral third party) assists the parties with negotiating a settlement or an agreement. Mediation is a broad term referring to a situation where a third party facilitates the process where two entities come to an agreement. The mediation process is performed privately and confidentially and participation is typically on a voluntary basis. Rather than directing the process, the mediator facilitates or "aids" in the negotiations until an agreement between the two or more parties is amicably met.

As a seasoned and knowledgeable business law attorney, I have an enormous amount of experience in handling all aspects of business and entertainment law. Since these areas of law rely heavily on contracts and agreements, I have invested a substantial amount of energy and effort in creating and negotiating contracts, agreements and settlements on behalf of my clients. I find that my business law background gives me an edge over the competition, especially over mediators that don't have the same level of experience in executing contractual negotiations with large and small business clientele.

As I am very familiar with contractual language and legalese, I am able to use this intimate knowledge of the law to help open and improve dialogue between disputants, while aiming to help both parties reach a sound and effective agreement amongst themselves. Mediation is a fine art and one that relies heavily on the mediator's knowledge, experience, skill and training.

As the practice of mediation gained widespread attention and as it increased in popularity, a number of training programs were created. I completed the 40 hour mediation training program at the A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center at the University Of Houston Law Center Blakely Advocacy Institute. I am now mediating civil suits and also mediating civil disputes that have not been filed in court.

The Benefits of Mediation

There are many noted benefits to using a mediator versus going through a long drawn out court dispute. Mediation is cost-effective, because often times a resolution can be reached in a matter of hours versus taking months or years through the courts. Mediation offers the benefit of confidentiality.

While court hearings are public events; in contrast mediation remains strictly confidential and between the negotiating parties. Only the parties involved know the details of what took place and what's more, the legal system cannot force the mediator to testify in court about the content or the progress of mediation. The only exception to the rule would be cases involving child abuse or actual or threatened criminal acts.

Mediation also places more control in the hands of the parties over their eventual resolution. Unlike a court case where the control is decided upon by a judge or jury, with mediation, the parties arrive at a mutual agreement amongst themselves with the assistance of the trained mediator. What's more, due to the fact that the parties came to the agreement together, compliance in these types of cases is rather high.

Lastly, mediators are trained to work in difficult situations and they act solely as a neutral third party that facilitates the resolution process. By showing the parties how to "think outside the box," the mediator guides them to a broader range of solutions, and thereby aids in the negotiations process until an agreement is met.

Mediation Cases Handled by the Firm

The types of mediation cases I handle include: civil disputes including but not limited to contracts, personal injury, corporate and partnership disputes, construction, entertainment law and probate. I am able to conduct mediation at my Houston office, or at the office of the party or attorney. In order to better serve my clients, I am also willing to travel to surrounding counties for mediation.

Family Law Mediation

In addition to above mediation cases I handle, I am also happy to provide mediation for families. I can help those with parenting, support, division of assets or liabilities, tax filings as well as issues related to family dynamics, family violence, and child development.

Mediation for family law cases is often a favorable alternative to litigation because mediation is generally understood to be a less expensive and quicker resolution process. If both parties are interested in a less formal conflict resolution procedure, I highly recommend mediation. Issues related to family law and divorce are private and often carry strong emotions. Through mediation I am prepared to help your family law case go as smoothly as possible. I can work with you to find a solution. I also would be happy to find and recommend to you and your family other professional support groups if your issues cannot be resolved or if your particular needs need long-term attention.

If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of mediation, please contact me at my firm to schedule a consultation where we can discuss the details of your case.