Mediate Michigan

More lawyers need to become involved in mediation, a group of lawyer and non-lawyer mediators told CAROL COULTER

THE ADVANTAGES of mediation over litigation in family law disputes have been well-rehearsed. Mediation permits the parties to retain control of the outcome of the dispute; it is a far less bruising process than going through an adversarial court case; it enables the parties to talk directly to each other and to express their hurt and their needs.

The Chief Justice and many other judges have expressed their support for the wider use of mediation in family law – and, indeed, other – disputes, and provision now exists in the Commercial Court for cases to be adjourned for mediation. The Legal Aid Board has taken steps to increase use of mediation by its solicitors. Yet the proportion of family law cases being mediated remains low, partly because of lingering suspicion of the process among lawyers.

via Lawyers urged to ‘buy into’ non-adversarial mediation – The Irish Times – Mon, Jul 05, 2010.