Our Rules of Engagement

In every mediation or restorative/transformational intercession, we adhere to the following Principles of Engagement and expect the same from each participant:

• Respect - Each participant is entitled to equal dignity.
• Resolve - Each participant should genuinely seek to resolve or clarify any dispute or relevant issue they have.
• Proportionality - A dispute or relevant issue should be resolved in the simplest and most cost-effective way. Or, in the case of restorative/transformational intercession in particular, each participant should be purposed toward finding what is the most winsome and respectful but nonetheless practical way to restore or transform the organization to a more productive, healthy environment.
• Engagement - Each participant should listen to other views and both share options for resolution or restoration/transformation and consider those of others.
• Fairness - Each participant should seek agreement if it would be fair and just.
• Confidence - Each participant should maintain confidence in the process.
• Deference - Each participant should “check his or her ego at the door” in the interest of genuinely trying to achieve a fair result.

Arbitration usually means that mediation or informal resolution by the parties has failed or is rejected. Generally, we will not undertake an arbitration unless there has been a prior, good-faith attempt at mediation, whether or not we participated as intercessors. While arbitration is like a trial and the parties will be presenting their evidence and arguments opposite to each other, we will adhere to the same Principles of Engagement to the greatest extent applicable.

We follow the revised Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators, approved by the American Bar Association’s House of Delegates on August 9, 2005, the Board of the Association for Conflict Resolution on August 22, 2005, and the Executive Committee of the American Arbitration Association on September 8, 2005.

Consistent with our general Principles of Engagement (see above), we generally apply the standards of the American Arbitration Association ("AAA") and its international division, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR), in our expectation of standards to be followed by participants in mediation and arbitration.

We follow and apply rules and procedures for mediation that are similar to but vary in certain material respects from those of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and its international division, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR). Contact us for details.

We follow and apply rules and procedures for arbitration that are similar to but vary in certain material respects from those of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and its international division, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR). Contact us for details.