At Williams Kastner, we understand that disputes and conflicts are an inevitable part of life, both personally and professionally. As a Northwest law firm with nationally recognized attorneys and unrivaled trial experience, we understand the benefit of effective conflict resolution. When legal disputes arise, conventional litigation can often be time-consuming, costly, and emotionally stressful for all parties involved. That is why our Washington and Oregon mediators offer comprehensive mediation services as an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) measure to help attorneys and their clients resolve conflicts efficiently.
Understanding Mediation
Mediation is a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). It is a voluntary and confidential process in which a neutral third party, known as a mediator, facilitates communication and negotiation between conflicting parties to help them reach a mutually acceptable resolution. Unlike litigation, where a judge makes decisions based on legal arguments and evidence presented by each party, mediation empowers the parties themselves to find solutions to meet their needs and interests.
How Mediation Works
In a typical mediation session, our mediators establish ground rules and explain the mediation process to the parties. Each party has the opportunity to present their perspective on the issues at hand, and our mediators help to facilitate a resolution. Our mediators may employ various techniques to help the parties identify common ground, explore potential solutions, and negotiate mutually acceptable outcomes.
Benefits of Mediation
Mediation offers numerous benefits compared to conventional litigation, making it an attractive option for resolving disputes in various legal matters. Some key benefits of mediation include:
- Cost-effectiveness: Mediation is often less expensive than litigation because it typically requires fewer resources and less time spent in court proceedings.
- Time efficiency: Mediation is often faster than litigation, allowing parties to resolve their disputes and move forward with their lives sooner. It can be scheduled at the parties’ convenience and is not subject to court schedules or delays.
- Flexibility and control: The parties have greater control over the outcome of their dispute and settlement terms. Unlike litigation, where a judge imposes decisions, mediation allows parties to craft workable solutions that meet their unique needs and interests.
- Preservation of relationships: Mediation fosters communication and collaboration between the parties rather than adversarial tactics common in litigation.
- Confidentiality: Mediation sessions are confidential, meaning that discussions, negotiations, and settlement agreements reached during mediation cannot be used as evidence in court.
- High success rate: Mediation has a high success rate in resolving disputes, with nearly 80% of cases resulting in mutually acceptable agreements.
Areas of Law We Mediate at Williams Kastner
Our experienced Washington and Oregon mediators have mediated diverse types of disputes. We primarily focus our mediation efforts on the following areas of law:
- Employment law and discrimination
- Professional liability
- Healthcare
- Education law
- Personal injury
- Contractual disputes
- Environmental law claims
- Clean Water Act disputes
Meet Our Mediators at Williams Kastner
At Williams Kastner, we have three skilled mediators who can help you reach a satisfactory outcome for your legal issue. These mediators are experienced in resolving disputes through ADR, saving you time and money. Meet our mediators:
Jessie L. Harris
Jessie is a member of our Seattle office but can serve as a mediator in Washington and Oregon. With 25 years of practice experience, he specializes in disputes involving employment law and discrimination, professional liability, medical malpractice, personal injury, and contractual disputes.
Jessie is a certified mediator for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and trained at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law.
Mark M. Myers
Mark has over 37 years of experience mediating cases in Washington. He specializes in cases involving environmental contribution litigation, implementing complex remedial actions, Clean Water Act Citizen Suits, geologic movement, insurance coverage, and toxic tort litigation.
Mark is also a certified mediator for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington and attended the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law.
Sumeer Singla
Sumeer uses his vast trial experience of over 20 years to help parties reach successful resolutions in mediation. He handles various legal issues, including employment law and discrimination, professional liability, personal injury, and contractual disputes.
Sumeer also serves as a Judge Pro Tem in several jurisdictions, giving him a unique perspective on using ADR to resolve disputes.
Our Approach to Mediation
At Williams Kastner, our experienced mediators are committed to providing personalized and effective mediation services tailored to the unique needs and circumstances of each case. We apply our vast knowledge and years of trial experience to the mediation process. We understand that every dispute is different, and we work closely with parties and their attorneys to develop customized mediation strategies designed to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Our approach to mediation is characterized by:
- Neutrality: Our mediators are neutral third parties who do not take sides or advocate for any particular outcome. They are committed to facilitating open and constructive communication between parties while maintaining impartiality and fairness.
- Collaboration: We believe in fostering a collaborative environment where parties and their attorneys can identify common goals and explore workable solutions. We focus on reaching mutually beneficial outcomes while encouraging engagement from all sides.
- Confidentiality: We prioritize confidentiality and privacy in all mediation proceedings, ensuring that discussions with attorneys and their clients remain confidential, protected from disclosure, and in line with ethical standards.
- Professionalism: We uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in our mediation practice, treating all attorneys and their clients with respect and fairness. We bring extensive knowledge, expertise, and trial experience to the table.
Contact Our Washington and Oregon Mediators
Our Williams Kastner mediators boast a strong track record of successfully resolving complex disputes through trial and mediation. Our experienced mediators can help attorneys and their clients resolve a wide range of cases while saving them valuable time and resources. Contact us today to schedule a mediation.