Gather the short stack, not everything
Bring the contract or lease, the key correspondence, the numbers that support your position and any deadline that constrains the outcome. A focused set of documents is more persuasive than a box of them.
Know your alternative
Before the session, work out honestly what happens if no agreement is reached: the cost of the next stage, the realistic range of outcomes and how long it will take. That number, not the number you hope for, is what tells you whether an offer on the table is good.
Bring authority
The most common reason a session ends without agreement is that the person who could say yes was not present. If approval is needed from a board, a carrier or a partner, arrange for them to be reachable and empowered during the session.
Mistakes that waste the day
Opening with a position no one could accept; treating the first private caucus as a place to perform rather than to think; refusing to discuss non-monetary terms; and arriving without having considered what the other side actually needs. Mediation rewards preparation more than advocacy.
Discuss your matter
Send the basics of your dispute and reserve a confidential Zoom session in one step.
Request a session