What is the best time to mediate a dispute?
The best time to mediate is typically at the very beginning of a dispute – whether or not a lawsuit has already been filed. Once a lawsuit or other dispute between parties starts gaining momentum, animosity between the parties increases, the parties become more rigid in their positions, and the parties wind up spending significant amounts of time, money and energy on the conflict – all of which makes the conflict that much more difficult to resolve. If the mediation is held at the beginning and is not successful, the parties also have the option of returning to mediation at a later stage of the case if they are still willing. If the mediation is not held until the end of the case or close to the time of trial, then the parties may end up having only one chance at settlement.
