mediation/disputes

Mediation is a structured negotiation process in which an independent person, known as a mediator, assists the parties to identify and assess options and negotiate an agreement to resolve their dispute. Mediation is an alternative to a judge imposing a decision on the parties.

All cases, regardless of their complexity or number of parties, are eligible to be referred to mediation. The types of matters commonly mediated include commercial and corporations law, intellectual property, industrial law, consumer law, human rights, admiralty, family issues.

Some examples include

• a willingness to participate in mediation
• the possibility that a judge's decision will not end the dispute
• the need for parties to find a way to preserve their relationship
• the existence of non-monetary factors and
• the potential for a negotiated outcome that better suits the needs and interests of the parties than a judge's decision