Ken Strongman, Esq. – Mediator

Tag: Commercial Mediation

  • What’s wrong with the other side’s case?

    What’s wrong with the other side’s case?

    The resolution of a dispute does not just occur on the day of the mediation.   Each participant to mediation needs to prepare their own strategy for negotiation in the settlement.  Based on my experience as a mediator, these are a collection of tasks each participant needs to complete and to discuss with their council and the mediator before the mediation.

    These tasks and the discussion with the mediator are confidential.   They are confidential under both Attorney Client privilege and under mediation confidential provisions in court rules, statutes, and standards.

    What’s wrong with the other side’s case?

    Now is your attorney’s opportunity to turn the introspection of your own case on its ear.  You need to list everything that is wrong with your opponent’s case.   You need to review this confidentially with the mediator.

    Ken Strongman, MediatorAbout the Author: Ken Strongman (www.kpstrongman.com) has years of experience and a growing national reputation as a mediator and arbitrator.  He has successfully resolved more than a thousand disputes in the fields of construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, and employment.  He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2022 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or re-post without permission.

  • What is the weakness in your case?

    What are the weaknesses in your case?

    The resolution of a dispute does not just occur on the day of the mediation.   Each participant to mediation needs to prepare their own strategy for negotiation in the settlement.  Based on my experience as a mediator, these are a collection of tasks each participant needs to complete and to discuss with their council and the mediator before the mediation.

    These tasks and the discussion with the mediator are confidential.   They are confidential under both Attorney Client privilege and under mediation confidential provisions in court rules, statutes, and standards.

    What are the weaknesses in your case?

    In this exercise, your attorney will need to take the lead in preparing your answer.  It is important that you understand its impact on your position.

    You need to articulate all of the weaknesses in your case.  These can be issues of law.  I have seen issues that involve the statute of limitations.  Other times, I have seen where the original complaint did not name the correct defendants.   These may be extreme examples, but no case is perfect.

    There can be issues of evidence.   It can be simple lack of evidence to support your claims.  It can be the credibility of the evidence.  Is it admissible or will its admissibility be challenged.   Seldom is there enough credible evidence to support each element of the claim.  Likewise defenses have their weaknesses as well.

    There can be issues of witnesses.  Will they persuade a jury or will their testimony be discounted by the jury?  Are they available?  Will they ‘show well’ to the jury?  Can they be easily impeached?

    Is a jury in this jurisdiction favorable to your position or that of your opponents?  And the list goes on.

    This can all be summed up by asking what your opponent will say about your case?

    Ken StrongmanAbout the Author: Ken Strongman (www.kpstrongman.com) has years of experience and a growing national reputation as a mediator and arbitrator.  He has successfully resolved more than a thousand disputes in the fields of construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, and employment.  He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2022 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or re-post without permission.

  • At what point will you know that the potential agreement is better than going to court?

    At what point will you know that the potential agreement is better than going to court?

    The resolution of a dispute does not just occur on the day of the mediation.   Each participant to mediation needs to prepare their own strategy for negotiation in the settlement.  Based on my experience as a mediator, these are a collection of tasks each participant needs to complete and to discuss with their council and the mediator before the mediation.

    These tasks and the discussion with the mediator are confidential.   They are confidential under both Attorney Client privilege and under mediation confidential provisions in court rules, statutes, and standards.

     Questions:

    • How will you know when you have arrived at a voluntary agreement that satisfies your interests?  
    • What objective criteria will you use to measure how well the agreements stratify your interests? 
    • At what point will you know that the potential voluntary agreement is better that using the court system to fight it out?

    As you participate in the mediation, it will be important for you to know when a voluntary agreement is near.  You need to realize the point in the mediation when you have satisfied your interests and that it now time to put the agreement into writing.  Work with your attorney on the answers to these questions and review them confidentially with the mediator.

    Ken Strongman, MediatorAbout the Author: Ken Strongman (www.kpstrongman.com) has years of experience and a growing national reputation as a mediator and arbitrator.  He has successfully resolved more than a thousand disputes in the fields of construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, and employment.  He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2022 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or re-post without permission.

  • How are you going to deal with them after the dispute?

    How are you going to deal with them after the dispute?

    The resolution of a dispute does not just occur on the day of the mediation.   Each participant to mediation needs to prepare their own strategy for negotiation in the settlement.  Based on my experience as a mediator, these are a collection of tasks each participant needs to complete and to discuss with their council and the mediator before the mediation.

    These tasks and the discussion with the mediator are confidential.   They are confidential under both Attorney Client privilege and under mediation confidential provisions in court rules, statutes, and standards.

    How are you going to deal with them after the dispute?

    In the previous task, you were asked to describe what you wanted life and/or business to look like five years after the dispute has been resolved.   This task is more focused on how you are going to deal with your opponents five to ten years after the dispute is resolved.

    The easy answer to this question is that ‘I never want anything to do with them again.’  If the dispute is an automobile accident then that might work as an answer.  But if your opponents are commercial suppliers, customers, fellow businesses in a limited market, employees or employers, neighbors, and even family, the question becomes a lot more challenging.

    I have mediated boundary line and other disputes between neighbors.  It becomes a lot more difficult to resolve when both neighbors realize that they will still be living next door to each other for possibly decades.  I have also mediated disputes with family owned business.  They had to take into account the likelihood of having to sit down for Thanksgiving dinner with each other.  There were also the unintended impacts on other family relationships that were not in dispute.  Commercial enterprises need to evaluate the publicity of the dispute and the possible need for an on going business relationship now and in the future.

    Carefully list and count the costs regarding different solutions to the dispute.  Might there be a better settlement that reduces future conflict.  Also evaluate the costs of litigating the dispute to its conclusion on the future relationship to your opponents.

    Ken Strongman, MediatorAbout the Author: Ken Strongman (www.kpstrongman.com) has years of experience and a growing national reputation as a mediator and arbitrator.  He has successfully resolved more than a thousand disputes in the fields of construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, and employment.  He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2022 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or re-post without permission.

  • What is the Comprehensive Mediation Agreement?

    In order to ensure all parties understand the status and implications involved, a comprehensive Mediation Agreement dealing with issues such as confidentiality, admissibility and privilege in relation to documentation and information exchanged must be agreed in advance. The Mediation Agreement will also deal with the costs of the mediation including the mediator’s fees and will establish how these costs are to be shared between the parties. An appropriately qualified mediator will usually provide a draft Meditation Agreement and it can be amended to suit the parties wishes before being signed by each of the parties and the mediator.

    This is standard practice for all of my mediations.  My mediation agreement includes the time and location of the mediation; any known apparent conflicts; the rules of confidentiality; due dates for briefing the dispute and payment of fees.  Generally, the fee is split between the parties but this can be modified by the parties.

    Ken_Strongman_003smAbout the Author: Ken Strongman (www.kpstrongman.com) has years of experience and a growing national reputation as a mediator and arbitrator.  He has successfully resolved more than a thousand disputes in the fields of construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, and employment.  He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2022 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or re-post without permission.

  • How are you going to deal with them after the dispute?

    Philmont Scout Ranch Deal
    Deal with the future

    The resolution of a dispute does not just occur on the day of the mediation.   Each participant to mediation needs to prepare their own strategy for negotiation in the settlement.  Based on my experience as a mediator, these are a collection of tasks each participant needs to complete and to discuss with their council and the mediator before the mediation.

    These tasks and the discussion with the mediator are confidential.   They are confidential under both Attorney Client privilege and under mediation confidential provisions in court rules, statutes, and standards.

    Task #4: How are you going to deal with them after the dispute?

    In the previous task, you were asked to describe what you wanted life and/or business to look like five years after the dispute has been resolved.   This task is more focused on how you are going to deal with your opponents five to ten years after the dispute is resolved.

    The easy answer to this question is that ‘I never want anything to do with them again.’  If the dispute is an automobile accident then that might work as an answer.  But if your opponents are commercial suppliers, customers, fellow businesses in a limited market, employees or employers, neighbors, and even family, the question becomes a lot more challenging.

    I have mediated boundary line and other disputes between neighbors.  It becomes a lot more difficult to resolve when both neighbors realize that they will still be living next door to each other for possibly decades.  I have also mediated disputes with family owned business.  They had to take into account the likelihood of having to sit down for Thanksgiving dinner with each other.  There were also the unintended impacts on other family relationships that were not in dispute.  Commercial enterprises need to evaluate the publicity of the dispute and the possible need for an on going business relationship now and in the future.

    Carefully list and count the costs regarding different solutions to the dispute.  Might there be a better settlement that reduces future conflict.  Also evaluate the costs of litigating the dispute to its conclusion on the future relationship to your opponents.

    For an experienced Mediator to help negotiate a resolution to your dispute contact Ken Strongman. Here.

    Ken Strongman, MediatorAbout the Author: Ken Strongman, is a private commercial mediator/arbitrator of complex, high risk litigated cases since 2004. Disputes addressed include business, securities, construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, employment, environment, energy, and trusts & estates. He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2022 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or repost without permission.

  • If I, as mediator, give my opinion in a dispute, doesn’t that mean I am biased?

    FAQ_Mediation Mendocino 03 opinion
    Is an opinion bias?

     

    If I, as mediator, give my opinion in a dispute, doesn’t that mean I am biased?

    Absolutely not!  I as mediator form opinions on many issues for many reasons.

    One of the primary things I do as mediator is to help you to evaluate the pros and cons of your position in a dispute and provide you with the information you need in order to make an educated decision about resolution. My opinion is critical to this process and will likely be based on the totality of the information from both sides, not merely that of one party. Although because of confidentiality, I may not be able to disclose the information to you, having an opinion from an unbiased source, based on such information may be very helpful to you in making choices.

    For an experienced Mediator to help negotiate a resolution to your dispute contact Ken Strongman. Here.

    Ken Strongman, MediatorAbout the Author: Ken Strongman, is a private commercial mediator/arbitrator of complex, high risk litigated cases since 2004. Disputes addressed include business, securities, construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, employment, environment, energy, and trusts & estates. He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2022 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or repost without permission.

  • What am I getting for my money when I hire a mediator?

    Hire a mediator
    Hire a mediator.

    What am I actually getting for my money when I hire a mediator?

    When you hire me as your mediator, you are buying the opportunity, through a neutral third party, to evaluate with someone who is an objective “sounding board,” your real needs (personal, economic, spiritual, etc.) and to evaluate which dispute resolution process will best help you meet those needs.

    *    You are buying my opinions and impressions of “your first juror,” as to existing information/evidence and that which is non-existent.

    *    You are buying an opportunity to become more informed of the risks and benefits involved in resolving or litigating a dispute.

    *    You are buying an opportunity to address and resolve differences of opinion or expectation between you and your client, you and other professionals or between several clients (business partners, etc.).

    *    In addition, you are buying many things that can’t be quantified, unique to your particular dispute, which come with the intervention of an experienced neutral.

    I am usually hired as a mediator because of my perceived ability to resolve a dispute.

    Mediators don’t settle cases, parties do! What you are really buying are choices.  My value as a mediator is my expertise in guiding all of the parties involved in a dispute to a point where there are new, real and often difficult choices created. It is up to you to evaluate those choices, in light of the insights you gain through the mediation process, and choose that one which will end the dispute in the manner that brings you the most complete resolution. In getting to that point, whether that choice is to accept a proposed settlement or continue on the path to litigation, you have gotten “your money’s worth”.

    For an experienced Mediator to help negotiate a resolution to your dispute contact Ken Strongman. Here.

    Ken StrongmanAbout the Author: Ken Strongman, is a private commercial mediator/arbitrator of complex, high risk litigated cases since 2004. Disputes addressed include business, securities, construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, employment, environment, energy, and trusts & estates. He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2021 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or re-post without permission.

  • I’m tired of being called a Mediation Neutral.

    neutral
    Mediation Neutral

    I’m tired of being called a Mediation Neutral.

    Most Mediators describe themselves as being a neutral.  It doesn’t help that the courts and clients expect us to be neutral and describes us as such.  But mediators in Europe have difficulty with the description.

    In the German Language the term for neutral most closely translates back into English as ‘null’.  So translating it back to English, to be a null means a Mediator as a neutral is without value, effect, consequence, or significance. Further more a Mediator amounts to nothing and is nonexistent.  In math when a variable has no value, it is considered to be null. Having a null value is different than having a value of zero, since zero is an actual value.

    No wonder Europeans have had difficulties with the term neutral.  I am much more than a zero let alone a null.  The German term used to describe what a Mediator does is a better description of what I do without speaking German.  Their term encompasses the following ideas:

    • I’m parcel to everyone equally.
    • I’m acting for everyone and in everyone’s best interest.
    • I advocate for a just solution to the dispute.
    • I’m attentive to all the interests of the parties.

    This concept is better idea of what I am as a mediator.   I am not a potted plant just sitting there all day hoping that a solution pops up.  I work hard with the parties to find a just solution in a timely manner.

    Thanks to my Mediation Society Colleagues, Bruce Edwards, Patrice Prince and Dana Curtis for sharing this idea.  They attended the International Summer School on Business Mediation in Admont, Austria this last summer.

    For an experienced Mediator to help negotiate a resolution to your dispute contact Ken Strongman. Here.

    Ken Strongman, MediatorAbout the Author: Ken Strongman, is a private commercial mediator/arbitrator of complex, high risk litigated cases since 2004. Disputes addressed include business, securities, construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, employment, environment, energy, and trusts & estates. He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2021 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or re-post without permission.

  • FAQ: Are Retired Judges Better Mediators?

    Stinson Beach, Dip Sea Trail, CP XC Team

    FAQ: Are Retired Judges Better Mediators?

    It is assumed that a retired judge makes a better mediator than someone that has not been a judge.  This couldn’t be further from the truth. 

    Rendering judgment requires an entirely different skill set than helping the parties resolve their case through mediation.  The day to day activities of a judge do not lend themselves to facilitating the resolution of conflicts.  The basic skill that is useful to a judge but not a mediator is the ability to make quick and final decisions on any particular issue. Therefore when they approach mediation they want to make the decision and not let the parties control their own solution to the problem.

    It is assumed that 20-years on the bench translates to 20-years experience working with civil attorneys and parties and the issues of civil litigation.  In most courts today, very few judges are presiding over civil trials.  Most of their days as spent presiding over criminal trials.  Even the remaining time of their tenure on the bench is divided between family law, juvenile, probate, and traffic.

    The law practice of most judges before being appointed to the bench is not as a civil attorney.  Many were deputy district attorneys or public defenders before becoming judges.  Therefore they have no experience with any civil issues before becoming judges.

    Mediation is a voluntary process that centers on discussions and decision-making, rather than judgment by a judge or retired judge. It is focused on resolving disputes based on the factual circumstances, the needs of the parties and practicality, and not solely on the legal rights of the parties. Often, the mere presence of a retired judge creates an antagonistic and adversarial atmosphere that impedes resolution rather than assisting it.

     In reality you want a mediator such as me that is trained in helping the parties resolve their problems.

    Ken Strongman, MediatorAbout the Author: Ken Strongman (www.kpstrongman.com) has years of experience and a growing national reputation as a mediator and arbitrator.  He has successfully resolved more than a thousand disputes in the fields of construction defects, real estate, intellectual property, and employment.  He is also a Mediator and Arbitrator for FINRA.

    © 2020 Ken Strongman. All Rights Reserved. Please do not copy or repost without permission.