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Cobb Mediation, LLC's General Manager Barry Edwards' Article on Comprehensive Arbitration of Domestic Relations Cases in Georgia appears in the latest issue of the Georgia Bar Journal.
 We have just announced our Training Calendar for Summer/Fall 2008. We are offering core courses in general civil mediation as well as workshops on specialized subjects like co-parenting, special education, elder care. To participate, register as soon as possible. Group discounts available.
We are proud to introduce Nancy Grossman and Daryl Kidd as the newest members of our Panel of Neutrals. Ms. Grossman is an attorney who worked in Fulton County Superior Court. She specializes in mediating and arbitrating family law matters. Mr. Kidd, Founder of the Cobb County Bar Association's Family Law Section, brings 26 years of legal experience to his mediation and arbitration practice.
Jennifer Matte's Report on Opportunities in the ADR Field in Georgia is a great resource for dispute resolution professionals. Ms. Matte is a Vermont Law School graduate who worked at Cobb Mediation, LLC as part of her externship with Georgia State's Consortium for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.
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These web sites offer more information about mediation:
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How to Select Your Mediator
We can offer a few suggestions to help you select a mediator for your case.
Agreeable to All Parties. Generally, the mediator is selected by mutual agreement of parties. We suggest that parties exchange short lists of acceptable mediators. If the other parties don't agree to your "first choice", there is probably someone that is a satisfactory mediator to all the parties.
Style of Mediation. Consider what style of mediation is most appropriate for your case. In some cases, an assertive mediator that evaluates the strengths and weaknesses and suggests possible settlements helps parties reach settlement. In other cases, the parties would prefer to work with a mediator who facilitates negotiations without asserting his or her judgment. Whether an evaluative or facilitative mediator would be most helpful is a matter of personal style and depends on the nature of case and parties involved. Our mediators simply wish to help the parties reach a fair and efficient solution to their dispute.
Practical Experience. If your case involves a particularly complex area of law, consider working with a mediator who has experience in that field. You may consider whether a mediator has experience representing parties on "your side" of the dispute, but it's important to remember that mediators are neutral. Your mediator has nothing to gain from a "high" or "low" settlement of a particular case. The mediator's job is to help the parties resolve a legal dispute.
Training. In Georgia, mediators undergo special training and registered by the Office of Dispute Resolution. All mediators who work at Cobb Mediation additionally rely on vast legal and personal experience. If your case is a family law matter, your mediator should be specially trained and registered to mediate family law cases. Family law mediators come from a wide variety of occupations in addition to lawyers.
Acceptable Rates. Mediators are paid at an hourly rate by the mediation participants. All fees, expenses, costs and travel time are split equally among all parties, unless otherwise agreed in writing. The hourly rates of mediators at Cobb Mediation vary and the parties may want to take these costs into account in selecting a mediator.
Available at Convenient Time. In some cases, it may be more difficult for the parties to find a mutually convenient time to mediate than to agree upon a neutral mediator. In these cases, the parties are welcome to contact Cobb Mediation so we may let you know what mediators are available on the convenient date.
You are encouraged to review of mediator profiles to help you select a mediator. If you would like assistance in mediator selection or have additional questions, you are welcome to contact Cobb Mediation.
If you have questions about dispute resolution at Cobb Mediation that aren't answered on this web site, feel free to e-mail your question to questions@cobbmediation.com and we will do our best to respond within 48 hours.
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