ABOUT US

Mediation is a voluntary process which can be ended at any time.  Recent statistics show where participants voluntarily agree to mediate that between 76-85% of cases reach resolution. The common belief is that disputing parties should attempt to mediate their differences at the earliest possible stage, before litigation. It is usually easier to have an open mind and work together to reach agreement if you haven't already been through months or even years of court negotiation and spent tens of thousands of dollars conducting discovery and preparing for trial. Most cases are settled out of court anyway!

Not every case can be mediated. Cases that may belong in court usually involve a person or persons who feel like they want their day in court ... they may need a third party – a judge- to decide for them or to tell them who is right or wrong or even what to do. They may want to feel like they won or that the other person has lost thereby having their point of view justified. Other cases could involve a person who deliberately fails to follow the terms of an agreement as a response to an emotional reaction or they just want to punish the other person or have others hear their story about how bad the other party was to them or how badly they’ve been treated. These cases tend to end when the legal fees eat up all the assets and all the parties are left discussing is who pays for the legal fees!  Even these cases can be mediated at the appropriate time if the parties are ready to talk business!

Law & Mediation consistently maintains an overall resolution rate more than 87%. We, at Law and Mediation, are the Go-To Mediators for disputes in the workplace and for private disputes.

Ms. Laredo has been a mediator-attorney since 1994, having personally handled more than 3,500 mediations, over 150 cases a year, in the New York Metro area and other locations nationally. Additionally, she serves as collaborative law attorney in divorce and civil cases. Moreover, she works as a review/consulting attorney and provides bespoke training for large and small businesses.

Law & Mediation, PLLC, specializes in mediating all types of conflict as an alternative to costly, stressful and time-consuming litigation. Mediators, Carolyn Laredo and James Bell help disputing parties define issues and reduce obstacles in communication in order to create a customized agreement considering the interests of all involved parties and resolving conflicts at a fraction of the cost disputing parties could spend in litigation.  They are convinced that mediation provides individuals with a healthier and less adversarial approach to problem solving. Individuals will be able to learn how to use conflict as an opportunity for personal growth and to implement necessary changes in order to prevent similar conflicts from recurring in the future.

Ms. Laredo has a degree in law possessing the knowledge, experience, tenacity, and interpersonal skills as a mediator to bring even the most acrimonious disputes to resolution. She also has the unique ability to effectively manage mediations involving multiple parties with divergent interests. Mr. Bell is a graduate of Edinburgh University and attended Hofstra Law School department of conflict resolution.   He has the ability to practice transformative, evaluative and/or facilitative methods of mediation dependent on the needs and objectives of the parties.  He has also gained a reputation for his determination and perseverance coupled with his listening skills and at times his frankness, allow him to break down the most complex scenarios and situations so the parties can hear the issues thus helping the parties navigate their own path to resolution.

Ms. Laredo and Mr. Bell began co-mediating their family mediation cases together in 2006 as they found the different educational, professional and genders facilitated better experience for their Family Mediation clients and also having a gender mix removes any apparent bias based on gender.

Together, this co-mediation team’s enthusiasm and experience have created a firm with a reputation for honesty, dedication, and above all, a commitment to meet the needs of their clients.

Understanding how busy you are, Law & Mediation, PLLC makes scheduling easier by offering early morning, evening and weekend appointments. Mediation sessions may also take place via conferencing services.

Law & Mediation, PLLC assists parties in resolving their differences in the following practice areas which include: divorce, family disputes, business and commercial conflicts, contract disputes, disaster recovery claims, labor and employment disputes including civil rights claims involving Equal Employment Opportunity laws and Americans with Disabilities Act claims.

Law & Mediation creates bespoke trainings for private and public businesses and organizations of varying sizes.  Their team of professionals provide interactive trainings and seminars on topics such as mediation skills, sexual harassment, diversity, and team building including leadership development.  They have many years’ experience designing internal and external conflict resolution systems for private and governmental entities.