Business Mediation Services In Houston
As a seasoned and knowledgeable business law attorney, I have an enormous amount of experience in handling all aspects of commercial 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 am also an experienced and certified mediator. I find that my business law background gives me an edge over the competition, especially over mediators who don’t have the same level of experience in executing contractual negotiations with large and small business clientele.
What Is Mediation?
Mediation is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and is a cost-effective way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. Mediation is a broad term for a facilitated process where two entities try to resolve their dispute without resorting to litigation. The trained mediator (neutral third party) assists the parties with negotiating a settlement or 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 I am highly 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 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 also 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 an agreement together, compliance in these types of cases is rather high.
Lastly, mediators are trained to work in difficult situations and act solely as a neutral third party who 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 negotiation process until an agreement is met.
Mediation Cases Handled By The Firm
I have served as a mediator in a broad range of business and civil disputes, including:
- Breach of business contract
- Partner and shareholder disputes
- Employer-employee conflicts
- Entertainment contracts
- Construction disputes
- Insurance coverage disputes
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.
To learn more about the benefits of mediation, please call my firm at 713-936-9553 or contact me online to schedule a consultation where we can discuss the details of your situation.