Getting To The “Dance Floor” In Mediation: What Lawyers Can Expect When Exchanging Settlement Offers and Demands

ROADS TO Resolution ~ Closure ~ Certainty

09/12/22 • 8 min

Oftentimes settlement negotiations begin with offers or demands that are at the far extreme. So if you do receive an offer or demand that you’re ready to roll your eyes at, and it's like, “Come on, I’m ready to pack it up and leave”. Number one: Don’t leave. It may take a few offers and demands going back and forth in order to get to the “dance floor”--a range where parties can be negotiating for a final settlement. In this episode, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–draws from her experience as a mediator to discuss what lawyers can expect from exchanging settlement offers and demands in mediation. Episode highlights include:

How offers/demands go from the “insult zone”, to the “credible zone”, to the “reasonableness zone” and what to expect at each zone
What to do once you arrive at the “dance floor” in mediation

To connect with Jean Lawler, follow her on LinkedIn or find her at LawlerADR.com.

To read the full episode transcript please see the Podcast Website.

09/12/22 • 8 min

ROADS TO Resolution ~ Closure ~ Certainty - Getting To The “Dance Floor” In Mediation: What Lawyers Can Expect When Exchanging Settlement Offers and Demands

Transcript

[intro music]

JEAN LAWLER:

Well hello and good day, I’m Jean Lawler. I’m your host of the ROADS TO Resolution ~Closure and ~Certainty podcast. It's so nice to be here with you today. As a mediator, I’m honored to be invited into other people’s lives, and certainly I’m honored to be invited into your life, and your time today. So thank you.

Today I wanted to talk about the “dance floor”. We all like to dance, probably most of us do, and there

Generate a badge

Get a badge for your website that links back to this episode

Select type & size

Copy