Litigation happens because experts disagree. In many family cases and often in estate and corporate files, judgments are unsatisfactory and you pay the bill regardless. Sometimes judges miss things that are important to the parties, and there is always a high cost of winning that is rarely taken into account. I have a strong and widely recognized track record of helping people work things out in ways that work for them, their companies, their families (including their children) and their communities. Mediated agreements are significantly better for your children and your relationships and save you litigation costs too.

When you agree to mediate you agree to let me help you create a safer place to have a difficult conversation. Most people can be creative and compassionate and curious and kind, even if the other person is not, if they feel somewhat safe. I will meet you one-on-one to talk about how to make it safer, to figure out what needs to be resolved and how you will know whether the solution that appears is “good enough” to allow you to move on with your life. Working with the other person (but not always in the same room), you remain in control of the outcome. That’s why clients are consistently significantly more satisfied with mediation than with court. Since there is no deal until it works for both of you we stay working at it until one emerges. It’s pretty clear: It works.

Maybe you are trying to figure out where the children will spend their time, or how to share the family business with the next generation; maybe you need a bit of help working out how to compensate someone for an insured loss or you are part of a neighbourhood adjusting to a sudden influx of new immigrants; maybe the issue is how to help an employee move on from a dismissal, or you are trying to work out a way to integrate someone into the workplace; maybe its helping a family heal from a hurtful estate disposition or developing a plan of care for an aging parent. Maybe your not-for-profit organization needs help clarifying roles and responsibilities or your company is in need of some strategic planning to move the focus off the past and onto the future. Mediation is appropriate in all of these cases and most others where people cannot figure out how to agree on a solution.

Mediation takes many forms. Sometimes it's 2 people in the same room talking it through with me or it's an entire family sitting together at the kitchen table working out a plan of care. Sometimes it's with lawyers present working hard to avoid going to court. It could be shareholders and directors meeting around a board table or a community meeting in a packed and tension filled hall. Sometimes the appropriate forum for mediation is online using “Google hang out” or the phone, or “Skype” to work out differences. Sometimes everyone is in the same room and sometimes they never meet. It’s all part of the work of a mediator to design the process that will be the most likely to allow people to continue working on a solution.

Testimonials

“Patricia worked well with both me and my ex-husband so we could both take a deep breath and put our children first. A day spent mediating with Patricia brought an end to a fight we had been having for 6 years that had cost us many thousands of dollars. Plus we were able to go to our daughter’s wedding and sit together.”

“Patricia helped us to work out an agreement in private that meant the interests of minority shareholders were protected but the business could move forward and grow.”

Next steps:

Decide if you want to hire me to be a neutral third person to help you and the other work through your difficulties to come to an agreement you can both live with.

If you answer yes, then you must find out if the other agrees.

If yes, then write to me. All you have to do is click here

My name is______. I would like to inquire about mediation with you regarding _________(subject matter) . If ____ (other person name) agrees I would like to get started. Please send me the Agreement to Mediate and any other introductory information so we can get started.

Copy the other person in on the email to me. If they contact me I will contact you both with the Agreement to Mediate and introductory materials. Once the Agreement to Mediate is signed I will contact you for an initial meeting date. The first meeting is always with each party alone. Depending on the time of year etc. I can often accommodate people within the week.