Published on:

A Mediator’s Dilemma: This is Business; it’s not Personal, but ….

By

I’m a great fan of the Inter-alia blog. One Blawg of the Day post is all you get driven into your mailbox, assuming you subscribe, and it is usually a winner. If it’s not, the delete button removes all evidence in a flash.

It’s always good to see what lawyers in other states and countries are doing. For example, there was a terrific little article from NC Law Blog, the Inter Alia’s October 22nd Blawg of the Day pick, on a mediator’s dilemma with self-represented litigants.

“Cruel to be Kind,” September 19, 2012, by Christie Foppiano, at the NC Law Blog.

Excerpt:
When scheduling mediations, I often speak with attorneys and sometimes with unrepresented parties.  The experience is very different.  For an attorney, a case is business.  For a party, a case is personal and usually negative; (s)he may be facing an injury or the loss of a home or business.  Unrepresented parties are often unfamiliar with the process of litigation and mediation.  This lack of familiarity can make them uneasy and without an attorney to guide them, it can also be intimidating….” [Link to full post.]

NC Law Blog is an online legal magazine by and for North Carolina lawyers. It is sponsored by the North Carolina Bar Association Center for Practice Management.”

The other super thing about this NC Law Blog is this instruction to its writers and guest writers:

“Articles must be substantive in nature and not promotion. Write about your topic, not your firm.”

Contact Information