Author Archives: Maria Hanna Joseph

It can’t hurt. Of course, reason has to prevail in settlement negotiations, but unless you’re sure you’re at a solid impasse, it doesn’t hurt to ask yourself, Could one more move get me the finality I came for?  

Transitioning from conflict to resolution involves a lot of give and take, not the least of which is the giving and receiving of information. Although there are circumstances that practically call for someone’s exclusion from settlement discussions, they are exceptional.  Face … Continue reading →

Demands – sometimes they’re based on calculated costs, sometimes pure emotion, and sometimes they have nothing to do with the dispute.  For example, I’ve heard them tied to credit card debt, the cost of tuition, and even the price of … Continue reading →

What you know at the start of a mediation session is very different from that at the end. This is why and when you ought to wait to decide what’s possible. Parties want the process to be over quickly, but … Continue reading →

It’s one thing to say you’ll let the judge decide.  It’s another to say what is decided.  Still another to agree with it.  Then, even after the gavel comes down, there can be issues over interpretation, appeals, monitoring, compliance, etc. So, … Continue reading →