Tips To Prepare For Mediation In a Partnership Dispute

Mediation is the simplest and the most effective form of alternative dispute resolution that should be considered when business partners are willing to settle a dispute outside the court in a collaborative, non-adversarial setting. With proper preparation, the partners can increase the chances of resolving their partnership dispute successfully and swiftly through mediation. Here are a few useful tips to help you prepare for mediation in a partnership dispute.

Choose a Mediator with Proven Skills and Experience in Partnership Dispute Resolution

While mediation is an ideal way to resolve partnership disputes, how fruitful it turns out to be will depend on a significant extent on the skills and experience of the mediator. You should preferably choose someone with a track record of handling different types of partnership disputes for small and mid-sized partnership firms.

When the mediator has a clear understanding of the intricacies involved in business disputes and the specific rules and regulations that might apply to your specific matter, they will be in a better position to explain the facts to the parties and help them find middle ground, while focusing on problem solving and steering the negotiations in the direction of a mutually beneficial resolution.

Ask Questions from the Mediator and Understand the Process of Mediation 

If you are unfamiliar with how the mediation process works regarding partnership disputes in your state, feel free to ask questions from the mediator you and the other partners have chosen. A dedicated mediator will take out the time to answer your questions and concerns in a factual manner, and help you understand the rules that govern business and partnership dispute mediation in your state.

The mediator will explain to you how, where and when the mediation will be conducted, which parties can be present during the mediation process, how many meetings or how long it might generally take to complete the process, whether the facts discussed during mediation can be used later on against you in a court, and whether you can walk away without an agreement if the partnership dispute is not resolved to your satisfaction.

Meticulously Prepare All Relevant Documentation Beforehand as the Mediator may Suggest

While it’s essential to have a collaborative mindset when entering into a mediation process to resolve your partnership dispute, hard facts and documents will still have a poignant role to play. A knowledgeable partnership dispute mediator will likely provide you and the other partners a list of records and documents that should be arranged prior to the mediation.

This will save time during the discussions and help all business partners agree to certain issues that may be evident from the available documentation. Lack of organization and absence of factual information can make the partnership mediation fall apart. The neutral mediator will remind all parties that since the trust factor between the disputing parties is lacking, documentation and records are important to verify each side’s claims and work towards a resolution and restoration of trust.

Work with a Highly Rated Partnership Disputes Mediator

At Advanced Mediation Solutions, our experienced partnership disputes mediators understand what it takes to work towards a successful resolution of a thorny business dispute. We will help you and the other partners to the dispute see the stakes involved for your business, and encourage each one to move forward from their stated position for the sake of a win-win outcome for all.

Partnership disputes mediation is a voluntary, non-adversarial, non-binding process, and it almost always makes sense to preserve your business value and market reputation and find an amicable resolution with our mediation experts. To learn more about how our mediators can assist you, call 856-669-7172 or contact us online today.