The goal of mediation is for parties in dispute to come to an agreement that is satisfactory to both through good faith dialogue guided by a trained, neutral third-party. Your lawyer advocates on your behalf by evaluating the offers made to you and any counter offers you make as well as explaining points of law that pertain to your situation. It’s common for a judge to order mediation before a trial starts and with good reason. Two-thirds or more of cases are typically settled in mediation saving everyone the time and expense of courtroom litigation. It is also completely confidential. If an agreement cannot be reached nothing that occurred during mediation is admissible in a court trial.

Arbitration is more formal than mediation, but has the same goal of resolving disputes outside of a formal courtroom using an impartial third party. An arbitrator (or panel of arbitrators) hears arguments from both sides, reviews facts and evidence, and makes a final ruling just as a judge would. The advantages of arbitration over litigation include quicker and cheaper resolution of the dispute, private proceedings that maintain confidentiality, and flexible scheduling.