Today, potential litigants are seeking ways to reduce the costs of resolving their differences, and courts are attempting to eliminate delays and clear crowded dockets.
  Clients and courts are increasingly asking lawyers to take cases to mediation. On July 1, 1993, the Administrative Office of the Virginia Supreme Court began overseeing certification for court-appointed mediatiors, a process that imposes training and practice requirements as well as ethical rules. Also effective July 1, 1993, Virginia Code § 8.01-576.4 et seq. authorized Virginia judges to refer any civil case to mediation on motion by counsel or sua sponte.
SOME BENEFITS OF
USING MEDIATION IN
YOUR LAW PRACTICE

  • Mediation greatly increases the chance of an early settlement.
  • Use of a mediator allows lawyers to focus more on representing their clients' interests, and less on managing the negotiation process.
  • Mediation is cofidential, low cost, and allows the parties to have a major role in shaping their own agreement.
  • Mediation is non-binding, unless agreement is reached.
  • Clients increasingly expect their lawyers to use mediation, and to use it effectively.

  Mediation is now an important part of
a lawyers practice. The lawyers task is
knowing what mediation is and how it
works, how mediation affects the lawyer's
ability to negotiate a good settlement,
what impact mediation has on discovery
and other court procedures in a case,
and what strategies for mediation will
best serve the client's interests.


MEDIATION IS USEFUL FOR REACHING AGREEMENT REGARDING:



MEDIATION:
The Use of an Impartial Person to Help Make Informed Decisions and Develop Mutually Acceptable Agreements.