Mediation: Where Have All the Settlements Gone?

• Author: David B. Williams
• Pages: 419-427



Mediation

WhereHaveAlltheSelementsGone

David B. Williams*

A. INTRODUCTION

Iwascalledtothebarinandenteredpracticeasalitigatorinthe

halcyondaysoftrialworkWithanexceptionallybusymentorfrommy

rstyearofpracticeIwastryingveorsixcasesbetweenJanuaryand

JuneandanequivalentnumberinthefallsessiontoyearendInabusy

litigationpracticethatwasnotuncommonatthattimeThatsjustwhat

wedidwetriedcasesThosecasestendedtobeshorterlastingtwoor

threedaysoralongercaselastedvetoeightdaysItwasunusualfor

a case to last many weeks as is the norm nowHoweversomewhere

along the line in the laer part of the eighties a nd certainly into the

ninetiestherewasaseachangeintheareaofdisputeresolutionThe

forumbywhichcivildisputescametoberesolvedshiedfromthetrial

tomediationVirtuallyeverycasewasmediatedandthereseemedtobe

aloveaairwiththeconceptofmediationwhetheronewasaplainti

ordefendantscounselForawhilemediatorscarriedsuccessratesof

percentintermsofsuccessfulresolutionatmediationOverthelastve

 ManagingPartnerofHarrisonPensaandaseniorlitigatordesignatedbytheLaw

SocietyofUpperCanadaasaSpecialistincivillitigationIgratefullyacknowledge

thecontributionsofLindsayKirkanarticlingstudentinourocewhoconducted

somebackgroundresearchregardinglawyerscurrentexperiencesintheUnited

StatesandCanadawithregardtomediationsandtomyAssistantKristinaMac-

Donaldwhoassistedintheeditingandpreparationofthisopinionpiece