What is mediation?
Mediation is an alternative method to resolve a dispute. A mediator will work with all parties in the dispute to help them all reach a mutually-satisfactory resolution.
Does this mean that the mediator will decide who wins the argument?
No. Mediation is not the same as court or an arbitration. Nobody will decide who is right and who is wrong. The mediator will use his or her skills to help the parties negotiate a resolution to their argument.
Does the mediator represent me or the other party?
Neither. The mediator is a neutral third party who facilitates a resolution between the two parties. The mediator is not the lawyer for either side, and either side may choose to have their own lawyer participate in the mediation.
Do I need a lawyer to participate?
No, although you are welcome to have your own lawyer participate.
How is Email Mediation different than mediation?
In a traditional mediation, the parties meet together with the mediator to work out a settlement. Email mediation is for people who (a) don’t have time for a traditional mediation; (b) don’t want to meet together; or (c) live far apart. Instead of meeting together, an Email Mediator will use email, phone and videoconferencing to communicate with the parties.
Is Email Mediation as effective as traditional mediation?
It can be. There are benefits to Email Mediation over traditional mediation. The parties, if they don’t like each other, don’t have to meet together. The parties also don’t have to find a mutual time and place. And for parties that live far apart, Email Mediation is much better than traditional mediation. Ultimately, the effectiveness of any mediation is up to the willingness of the parties to mediate.
How much does it cost?
Most mediators charge by the hour. At Email Mediation, we want to give you a clear flat fee so you can budget accordingly. The cost of mediation is $500 per party, with each party to bear their own cost. This cost will include an entire mediation, which starts when both parties sign the mediation agreement and ends when one of the parties refuses to participate further, or refuses to communicate further with the mediator.
Is there a guarantee the dispute will resolve at mediation?
No. In order to ensure the integrity of the mediation process, we will charge you up front before mediation starts. We make no guarantees that the case will resolve. We only guarantee that we will continue to work with the parties as long as the parties want to continue to mediate.
Will I get a refund if the case does not resolve?
We do not offer refunds. This is to ensure that the mediator acts as a true neutral third party and does not act in a way that increases the likelihood of him or her earning the fee. For that reason, we collect the fee up front, and do not offer refunds.
How do I get started?
If you have a dispute and want to mediate, click here and fill out the form. A mediator will contact you shortly and provide you with a copy of the mediation agreement for you to sign. We will even reach out to the other party for you to request that they participate in the mediation. Once both parties sign the mediation agreement we will send you a form you can use to submit payment.