Mediation is a structured process for solving conflicts in which neutral, all-partisan intermediary assists the parties in solving their impasse through negotiation. Neutral mediation for solving conflicts is not a modern invention. However, the systematic and diligent process is of a more recent date. The structured process has been developed over the past four decades, largely driven by scholars and practitioners in the United States. In Europe, the modern approach to mediation became more prominent in the 1980s, initially used in civil disputes. Today, it is used with great success for a variety of private and economic matters.
Mediation is well established as an alternative to rather expensive and often escalating legal proceedings. A key benefit is that it does not permanently burden and destroy the relationship of the parties. Where court cases produce winners and losers, mediation rather provides a way to strengthen the resilience of a partnership in a difficult time, leading from a big challenge to mutually agreed to solutions. With the express direction of new legislation to relieve courts of adjudicating permanent feuds by compulsory mediation, it is also clear how well mediation has developed as an alternate path to conflict resolution in courts.
We specialize in mediation for environmental issues, sustainability and broad economic initiatives, social and community wellbeing. In our view, any conflict resolution is only successful when all parties involved are implementing the agreement without reservation. In this regard for a successful mediation some conditions apply, which we gladly clarify in a free consultation with you. Please feel free to use this simple checklist; the list is intended to assist you with your own assessment in preparation for our first free consultation.
Note
Even if you feel it may be difficult to find the resources to pay for a mediation, you are welcome to contact us. For a few cases per year we work pro bono, i.e. free of charge, for example, if the mediation would otherwise not be financially viable for the parties and the cause is of broader interest for the society. You can find more information under the heading ‘Consensus is achievable PRO BONO’