There are alternatives to litigation. Consideration of such alternatives may be prudent if saving time, money and heartache are valued goals.

Philip Nerney is a panel member for Dispute Prevention & Resolution, Inc., who can provide the services described below. The Mediation Center of the Pacific (“MCP”), where he first began mediating, named Mr. Nerney Mediator of the Year (2004) and gave him its Conch Shell Award for promoting mediation in 2005. Mr. Nerney received the U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award in 2008 in relation to his mediation of child abuse and neglect cases for family court (2004 to 2012).

Mediation is a voluntary and non-binding process of facilitated negotiation. Placing a neutral mediator between parties in conflict can enable unexpected resolution in many situations, particularly if the mediator has both subject matter expertise and process management skills.

Arbitration is a private process of decision-making that can be conducted on a binding or on a non-binding basis. It is similar to litigation in that your claims and/or defenses are decided based on evidence and law. Arbitration is generally regarded as being efficient, economical and less formal than litigation. You should nonetheless confer with counsel about whether it may be the best choice in a given situation.

Early Neutral Evaluation entails an informal presentation of the basis for claims and defenses to a neutral subject matter expert who provides a candid assessment of relative strengths and weaknesses of the parties’ intended case. Early neutral evaluation can provide a reality check before parties go too far down the wrong path.

Please contact Dispute Prevention & Resolution, Inc., at 523-1234, to schedule an alternative dispute resolution service with Mr. Nerney.