Those who know the Mafia only through the media will probably have trouble believing that the Mob goes to great lengths to avoid violence. The “Docile Don,” Angelo [Bruno] hated violence and valued negotiation and peace above all. – George Fresolone and Robert J. Wagman, Blood Oath The Mob’s main instrument for resolving disputes is …
By Bill Eddy One day I was meeting with a husband and wife for their second or third divorce mediation session. They were high-powered, both in upper management positions. I thought that their family mediation would be like a business meeting. But no! At the beginning of this session, the husband leans over shaking his …
Preventing and avoiding conflict is a basic human need and reaction. Conflict can be messy, emotionally, and overwhelming, so if it can be prevented, most of us would choose to do so. Unfortunately, conflict is a part of everyday life. It can be difficult to avoid it entirely without creating a life that holds nothing …
When parties have difficulty discussing the issues with the other party in the room, the mediator may decide to move to caucus mediation. Caucuses can be a powerful tool in mediation, but some downsides need to be considered when considering a caucus. The mediator’s style will also impact when caucuses are used. Some mediators will …
Requiring parties to participate in mediation before a lawsuit is becoming more common, but it has many parties questioning if mediation is mandatory and what the implication of making it mandatory is doing to the mediation process. Mediation was created as an alternative process to litigation to help the parties attempt to resolve their disputes …
Communication is the key to achieving a lot in the world, so when communication does not come as easy, it can be not easy to move forward in a career or effectively negotiate for something that you want. This is where the skills and work of a communication coach may come in. Communication coaches are …
Divorce is ranked second on the list of stressful events in one’s life, the first being death of a spouse. This is an emotional time for the parties. However, the only purpose of most settlement meetings is to resolve the outstanding legal issues in the divorce. Emotions and post-divorce dynamics are rarely factored into them.
As disputes arise and parties are beginning to consider some form of legal action or resolution process, the parties will likely be considering legal representation. There are a variety of factors that will go into a party’s decision on whether or not to hire a lawyer, and there are benefits and drawbacks to hiring a …
For those facing the need to resolve a dispute, they may return to the common question of whether mediation or litigation is the best option to resolve the dispute. Comparing the two processes will often result in a lot of differences, and the types of resolution are very distinct. However, this does not intrinsically mean …
Most people have watched a witness stand, raise their right hand, and state the oath in the courtroom before giving their testimony, either in person or by watching a show about the court. A lot of people could probably recite the oath from memory as well. Yet many people may not understand the purpose of …
