Navigating a settlement between parties who don’t agree can be a rocky road. A typical civil action can take months and even years to resolve, whereas a mediated settlement can take days or even several hours depending on the issues involved. Mediation offers the advantage of creating a forum for the disputing parties to lay out the merits of their case. The key component of Mediation is that any agreement reached is deteremined by the parties themselves rather than being imposed by a third party. The mediator maintains a neutral position and acts as a catalyst, focusing discussions, facilitating exchanges, and serving as an assessor of positions taken by the parties. The attorneys are a part of the process as well and are there to explain and lay out the legal issues, while making sure that the rights of their clients are preserved. Because the cost of the third-party mediator is usually split between the parties, companies and individuals involved in litigation can realize extraordinary savings by making a very modest investment in Alternative Dispute Resolution.