
At a mediation I handled recently, I walked into the conference room as one party’s lawyer was explaining to her client the differences between “facilitative” and “evaluative” mediators. “I’m a facilitative mediator,” I proudly told the lawyer and client. I said that because that is how I prefer to think of my own style, and because that is a style that at least to me seems more consistent with the ideals of mediation. Evaluative mediators act more like judges, even though their opinions are not binding on the parties. Evaluative mediators can be quite effective, if that is what the parties are looking for. Most of the time, however, I feel that a third opinion of the merits of a […]