Why is using a joint mediator more cost-effective than using separate attorneys?
Mediation enables the parties to communicate directly with each other, thereby saving the attorneys´ fees incurred in communicating through counsel. For example, in traditional cases, one party communicates his wishes to his attorney and his attorney drafts a letter (or “settlement proposal”) to the opposing party´s attorney. The opposing attorney must then communicate the terms of the settlement proposal to his client and respond to the proposal via telephone or mail. This process might continue for months before an agreement is reached or may finally have to be set for trial. Communicating through separate attorneys most often increases the time it takes to settle a case, and unnecessarily escalates costs.
