SERVICES - MEDIATION

Our mediators help people resolve disputes quicker, cheaper and better by creating dynamics that allow disputants to negotiate resolutions more effectively and constructively.

Our mediators generate opportunities for disputants to meet, talk, exchange and negotiate:

Animosity and the fear of making admissions that can be used later are among the factors that set up barriers and make it more difficult for disputants to meet, talk, exchange and negotiate. It is difficult to resolve a dispute when those involved in it are not meeting, not talking, not exchanging information and not negotiating. Our mediators can break this cycle and create a safe and off-the-record environment for discussions.

Our mediators help disputants understand the problem:

Many disputes occur or persist because one or more of the disputants has incomplete or inaccurate information or because they have different perspectives, understandings or views. Without all of the information, it may be difficult for disputants to understand the problem and without that understanding it can be hard to resolve it. Our mediators are experts at zeroing in on the information needed to resolve disputes. They help both sides understand the views and perspectives of the other and become more realistic about how the problem should be seen and evaluated.

Our mediators help disputants make hard choices and be reasonable:

People involved in disputes often have difficulty seeing the forest for the trees. They lose perspective and sight of what they ultimately need and what is in their best interests. Our mediators work as sounding boards and also as agents of reality. They help disputants understand what is at stake and evaluate the available settlement options by helping them explore the reasonableness of what is being proposed and the consequences of not reaching a resolution. Our mediators encourage disputants to focus on what is reasonable rather than on what they would want in a perfect world, and they encourage them to have realistic negotiation goals.

Our mediators help disputants get past negative emotions that stand in the way:

Disputes generate emotion. People clouded by emotion tend to have difficulty appreciating and evaluating their circumstances and they often make choices that they later regret. Our mediators are experts at helping disputants get past their emotions so that they can make reasoned choices.

Our mediators help generate options for settlement:

People involved in disputes often have difficulty finding options for resolving them. Because of a lack of expertise, experience or understanding, or as a result of simply being too close to the problem or being too emotional, they do not find the solutions that would otherwise be apparent. Our mediators are experts at helping generate settlement options.

Nous offrons nos services en français.

We have offices in Ottawa and Toronto.