Privacy, Business and Law

Mediation is often confused (even by some mediators) with the traditional settlement conference, which usually takes place before a judge. In a settlement conference, the “settlement judge” is likely to express ultimate opinions on the merits of the case or the reasonableness of a proposed settlement. In contrast, mediation encourages the parties themselves to form opinions by listening and speaking. A mediator is a facilitator whose job is to empower the parties to reach their own agreement for their own reasons.