The operation of Connecticut’s Foreclosure Mediation Program through its first five months illustrates a couple of themes that are common to most mediation processes. In an article in the December 8, 2008 Hartford Business Journal titled “Mediation Helps 360 Postpone Foreclosure”, Greg Bordonaro described the program, with comments from various viewpoints. One positive note is […]
What to look for in a mediator — Part II
Last time, I wrote about a recent article in the online version of “afrol News” that was titled: “DRC rebel leader wants Norwegian mediation.” The article discussed the advances that Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda has made towards the Norwegian government to help mediate the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Although […]
What to look for in a mediator — Part I
A recent article in the online version of “afrol News” was titled: “DRC rebel leader wants Norwegian mediation.” The article discussed the advances that Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda has made towards the Norwegian government to help mediate the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dovetail Resolutions has a focus on business […]
Mediators don’t decide cases
A recent online newspaper article contained this line: “[T]he case has been ordered to be decided by a mediator.” It’s a basic point and central to the the mediation concept and process: mediators don’t decide cases. Still, it’s not always understood, as so clearly shown in the article. I occasionally meet people who respond to […]
Conflict: Is it always bad?
We routinely talk about preventing conflict, reducing conflict, and resolving conflict. When we do, we sound as if we are characterizing conflict as always a bad thing. Without a doubt, conflict can cause significant and lasting damage, both economic and non-economic. Those negative effects, understandably, receive a lot of attention. Yet conflict can be good. […]
State’s mediation program buys time for New Haven family
An article in the New Haven Independent today describes the efforts of a New Haven family to hold on to their home with the help of a local attorney and the Connecticut Foreclosure Mediation Program. When the homeowners first met with the plaintiff’s attorney and a state mediator in the program, they were not yet […]
Repeat players and one-time litigants
The recent New York Times business section article, “The Cost of Not Settling a Lawsuit”, by Jonathan D. Glater, touched on the finding that plaintiffs are far more likely to overestimate the value of a case than defendants are to undervalue a case. Although it’s difficult to make broad generalizations, personal injury cases make up […]
Unexpected benefits of mediation — Part II
The Ithaca (New York) Journal ran a guest column last week on ithacajournal.com by Judy Saul of the Community Dispute Resolution Center, titled “Mediation is a good choice to settle conflicts civilly.” In it, she described some of the comments the CDRC had received when it surveyed users about their experiences. One important point was […]
Unexpected benefits of mediation — Part I
The Ithaca (New York) Journal ran a guest column last week on ithacajournal.com by Judy Saul of the Community Dispute Resolution Center, titled “Mediation is a good choice to settle conflicts civilly.” In it, she described how mediation can help people in conflict. One of the interesting points was the value of using meditation to […]
Mediating “despite having the upper hand”
An article by Richard Berman on SFGate.com, titled “Resolving Workplace Conflicts,” provides an interesting survey of the benefits of mediation. The focus of the article is on conflicts at work, between boss and employee or co-workers. Mr. Berman notes that in a slow economy, employers are, of course, in a strong position. “Yet despite having […]
