Mediation Information

Both Allen Rosenfeld and Bill Rothschild are Registered Neutrals with the Supreme Court of Georgia, as administered by the Georgia Office of Dispute Resolution.  Both have received extensive training to act as mediators in a variety of business and real property disputes.  Please see their profiles for their personal experience.

Mediation is a process by which a neutral third party helps those in dispute, and their attorneys, to work out a solution.  The heart of mediation is self-determination.  Unlike arbitration or court itself, the mediation yields a final result only if every party freely accepts that result.  The Georgia Commission of Dispute Resolution describes the mediator’s obligations as follows:  to protect the self-determination of the parties; to protect the confidentiality of the process; and to remain without bias or prejudice to any party.

As mediators, both Allen and Bill listen to each party – in private or in the presence of other parties, as the conditions warrant.  They help the parties recognize their attainable goals in the litigation, and may offer a new perspective or alternative resolution that neither party has considered.  With a party’s express permission, they will convey information about that party’s case to the other side.   As experienced litigators, they offer their views, if asked, on the time and expense of continued litigation.  And as neutral outsiders, they seek clarifications where needed to help ensure that an apparent resolution really is a complete meeting of the minds.

Mediation can best achieve a settlement when all parties understand the strengths and weakness of their cases and what might happen if the case continues without a mediated result.  Although every mediator likes to sport a high “success” rate, Allen and Bill recognize that their goal is not to hammer out a settlement within a specified time period.  Rather, they seek to help all parties understand their choices, and thereby to place each party in the best possible position to exercise self-determination.  A win-win solution will then result.

Mediation is voluntary and confidential, and may be far less expensive than trial.  Rates start as low as $100 per hour per party.