{"id":900423,"date":"2022-10-04T16:10:00","date_gmt":"2022-10-04T22:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/?p=900423"},"modified":"2022-10-04T16:10:06","modified_gmt":"2022-10-04T22:10:06","slug":"mediation-almost-always-worth-a-shot","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myconstructionexpert.com\/blog\/mediation-almost-always-worth-a-shot\/","title":{"rendered":"Mediation is (Almost) Always Worth a Shot"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Christopher G. Hill | Construction Law Musings<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\u00a0Hurricane Ian\u00a0is bearing down on Florida the economy is sputtering, it is easy to lose track of things that construction professionals (among others) can control.\u00a0 One of those things is\u00a0how to resolve your construction dispute.\u00a0 When initial, and hopefully business-oriented, discussions break down and the\u00a0construction lawyers\u00a0get involved, often more formal means are required.\u00a0 One \u201cformal\u201d possibility that should always be considered and almost always attempted is the\u00a0mediation of your dispute<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know, I pound this particular gavel often.\u00a0 Why? Because not only are litigation and arbitration\u00a0expensive and time-draining, you are putting your fate in the hands of a judge or\u00a0arbitrator\u00a0to decide.\u00a0 Let\u2019s face it, most contractors (and solo construction lawyers for that matter) want as much control over their businesses and projects as possible.\u00a0 Mediation is the only third-party dispute resolution process that allows the parties to decide their own mutual fate.\u00a0 This is one of the primary reasons I almost always recommend that my clients try mediation before or after filing their lawsuit or arbitration demand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does mediation always result in settlement?\u00a0\u00a0Not always.\u00a0 However, even where the mediator is a good one and the mediation goes for at least a day and the parties just can\u2019t get to the finish line, there is much to be gained from the process:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. The process will allow you to get a read on the mindset of the other parties to the case.  While nothing said in mediation can be used later in court or arbitration, the give and take can provide valuable insight.<\/li>
  2. The process lets you get to know your counsel and vice versa.  The downtime between caucus sessions has always been valuable to me because it allows for time to discuss other matters.<\/li>
  3. The process gives you insight into your case.  Often a good mediator will point out the holes and strengths that he or she sees in the parties\u2019 respective cases.  These discussions can help determine strategy moving forward.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    I am sure that those who have been through mediation can add to the above-stated list of helpful aspects of mediation even where no settlement is reached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As the title of this post states, mediation is not always<\/em> worth the time.  Where the case doesn\u2019t involve enough money to pay a mediator for a day to try and settle, the parties should negotiate on their own.  Also, where all counsel have spoken with their clients and the positions are so entrenched that only a decision by a judge or arbitrator will end the fight.  With that said, I have had many a case where mediation was tried even where the above scenario looked to be in play, and was surprised at the parties\u2019 eventual settlement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In sum, mediation should always be in the arsenal of a good construction attorney.\u00a0 It is always worth discussing as a possibility even if there are a small minority of cases in which it may not be cost-effective or where the mediation does not result in a final resolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    When one of your cases is in need of a construction expert, estimates, insurance appraisal or umpire services in defect or insurance disputes – please call Advise & Consult, Inc. at 888.684.8305, or email experts@adviseandconsult.net<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Christopher G. Hill | Construction Law Musings As\u00a0Hurricane Ian\u00a0is bearing down on Florida the economy is sputtering, it is easy to lose track of things that construction professionals (among others) can control.\u00a0 One of those things is\u00a0how to resolve your construction dispute.\u00a0 When initial, and hopefully business-oriented, discussions break down and the\u00a0construction lawyers\u00a0get involved, often… Continue reading Mediation is (Almost) Always Worth a Shot<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[13],"tags":[9895,79],"class_list":["post-900423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mediation","tag-advise-consult","tag-mediation-2","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"\nMediation is (Almost) Always Worth a Shot - 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