As Karl likes to say, mediation is not just what we do on the day we get together.
These are some common questions we receive about how we do disputes. If you don't find the answers you're looking for here, by all means, email or call Alyson for help. We'll be adding to this list as we can and look forward to making your experience with us as simple and easy as possible.
What types of cases does Karl mediate?
What does it mean if a date is "on hold" vs "unavailable"?
What information will you need from me to reserve a date?
What time does Karl usually start mediations?
Does Karl travel?
What if we need to show a PowerPoint presentation in a joint session?
Can you send me a W-9?
How should we prepare ourselves for any downtime in the process?
What types of cases does Karl mediate?
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personal injury
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medical malpractice
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wrongful death
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business disputes
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construction disputes
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intellectual property disputes
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commercial real estate disputes
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complex divorces
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nursing home care disputes
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high tech disputes
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environmental and land-use disputes
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and much more...
Actually, it's easier to say what kinds of disputes Karl doesn't do than to list all the kinds of disputes he's worked with.
Being involved with thousands of cases over 30 years, Karl has worked on essentially every kind of lawsuit known to mankind. At this point, he's interested in helping with almost any kind of dispute - as long as everyone's willing to work hard to bring about a wise and efficient resolution.
What does it mean if a date is "on hold" vs. "unavailable"?
"On Hold" means we've penciled in a date for you, but it's not set in stone and, if you don't confirm it within a week, we will release it so someone else can have that time.
Alyson understands that confirming a date requires the consent of all parties but we work primarily with the party who call to reserve a time. If you see that a date is on hold, but really want that date confirmed for your mediation, you can always ask Alyson to check with the party who has requested that date and chances are she can help you finalize your choice. There's no guarantee that any on hold date will be confirmed for you, however, until you confirm it yourself.
"Confirmed" means for us that a date has been solidly reserved for a party and Karl's time and attention are unavailable for anyone else on that date.
What information will you need from me to reserve a date?
To reserve a date once the date has been confirmed for you, we need your name and contact information, the case style, including all the attorneys' contact information, the names of the parties involved in the case, and whether you're reserving for a half-day session or a full- or multiple-day session. We also need to know where the attorneys want to work and what time they want to start the mediation.
If you're going to need multiple breakout rooms, and you want to work in our office, we need to know right away how many rooms you think you'll need, so we can verify whether we can accommodate your needs here.
You can submit this information by emailing it directly to Alyson Chaky. (She loves email!)
What time does Karl usually start mediations?
Karl's policy is to start sessions that take place at our office at 9:30am. Or whenever is most convenient for all the parties and Karl. If the parties wish to begin earlier or later than 9:30am, please email Alyson to verify Karl's availability.
Does Karl travel?
If Karl needs to travel to your site for the mediation, his policy is to begin at 9:30am, whenever possible. In the case of large, multi-party disputes, he may elect to begin earlier to allow for the most efficient use of all parties' time. Again, please contact Alyson if you anticipate needing an early start time.
What if we need to show a PowerPoint presentation in a joint session?
If you're going to be working in our office, we can provide a screen and projector. You will need to bring your laptop and connecting chords. We can accommodate either PC or Macintosh machines.
Email or call Alyson at least 24 hours ahead of your session and she will make sure the room contains the equipment you're going to need.
If your session is to take place somewhere other than our offices, and you need help with AV equipment, you will need to contact Alyson at least two weeks ahead of time and she will do what she can to support you.
Can you send me a W-9?
We have a completed, unsigned W-9 form online here. We’re happy to email a copy to you if you email Alyson to request one and let her know where to send it.
How should we prepare ourselves for any downtime in the process?
There is, often, downtime during a mediation. When offers are being exchanged and Karl is conferring with the parties about an offer, you can be left with some time to fill. We encourage you to bring a good book or some other work you need to do. You can use your laptop on the wireless network for official or personal business if you bring one.
