Practices > Mediation and Arbitration

Our experience indicates all legal matters should be submitted to early resolution in an effort to control the legal costs that the parties may occur through the litigation and arbitration process. 

Mediation is a process which involves the selection of a neutral third party to act as mediator.  The mediator uses their trained skills to craft a resolution of any dispute.  Effective mediation results in an agreement whereby the parties can control the outcome of the case as opposed to leaving it for disposition by a judge, jury or arbitrator.

Arbitration is different from mediation because it uses, essentially, a private judge who makes a decision as to who prevails and who does not. Generally, a party to a nonbinding arbitration has a right to request a trial in the event they are unsatisfied with the arbitration result.  Binding arbitration involves a final decision.  In both types of arbitration, the general rules of evidence and procedure are relaxed substantially and the results can often prove to be unpredictable.  The law provides very limited circumstances from which an arbitration award can be appealed, and, therefore, it is imperative you have competent and experienced counsel to represent your interests.  Further, arbitration does not generally involve protracted discovery and, thus, legal expenses are reduced substantially.  Thus, the uncertainties of an arbitration highlight the importance of having an experienced attorney to represent you.

Glenn N. Siegel has been certified as a mediator since 1991 by the Florida Supreme Court and has served as an arbitrator in both binding and nonbinding arbitrations for many years involving construction, contract, corporate, partnership, estate and other disputes.