This document discusses the synergy between collaborative law and mediation. It notes that many collaborative law groups require training in mediation, and mediators are obtaining collaborative law training. This allows professionals to use mediation within collaborative processes and provide mediation services using collaborative training. The document provides questions about how professionals describe and utilize mediation in their collaborative work, including screening clients, engagement agreements, marketing, and training staff. The goal is to understand protocols for determining when mediation could assist collaborative processes.
2. Mosten Mediation and Collaborative Training
11661 San Vicente Blvd. Suite 414, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Phone: 310-441-1454 Fax: 310-470-2625
www.mostenmediation.com
Synergy of Collaborative Practice and Mediation
Many of the most evolved Collaborative Practice
Groups require their members to complete a minimum of
40 hours of Mediation Training. More and more mediators
are obtaining Collaborative Training to serve as client
representatives and neutrals within the Collaborative
Process.
In addition to the importance of learning basic
conflict resolution skills and be introduced to a developed
body of literature to supplement conflict resolution books,
articles, and training materials, through mediation
training, you can gain perspectives and tools to combine
Mediation within the Collaborative Process and to use
your Collaborative training to provide services to
mediation parties.
Using the Synergy Flow Chart as well as the Seven
Ways that Collaborative Law and Mediation Intersect,
attempt to answer the following questions about your
knowledge and use of mediation in your Collaborative
Work.
1. Do you have a set of talking points that you use to
describe your preferred model of Collaborative Law
to clients on your website, in phone calls, in a
Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012
3. marketing packet, and in your first client
consultation?
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2. How do use express your talking points that
describe Collaborative Law
a. On Your
Website____________________________________
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b1. In the First Telephone Client With a Prospective
Client if you conduct these phone calls
yourself?___________________________________
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b2. If you employ a Secretary or Assistant to handle
initial telephone calls,how do the talking points differ
from how you handle your first telephone call? How
do you train your Secretary/Assistant to handle
initial client telephone
calls?______________________________________
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Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012
4. __________________________________________
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3. What are the benefits of Collaborative Law that you
discuss with your
clients?________________________________________
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4. What are the risks of Collaborative Law that you
discuss with your
clients?________________________________________
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5. Do you describe mediation as another favored non-
court processes that is available to resolve their concerns
instead of or in conjunction with Collaborative Law? If so,
what are your talking points to describe the benefits and
risks of mediation and how it compares to Collaborative
Law in respect to control, cost, speed, impact on spousal
and other adult relationships, and on the
children?______________________________________
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7. Do you have a standard protocol for screening clients
for Collaborative Law? If you also offer mediation
services, how do does your screening for Collaborative
Law differ from your screening for mediation? What are
your talking points/questions for 5 criteria that you use
to screen clients as to whether Collaborative Law or
Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012
5. Mediation is most appropriate
them?_________________________________________
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8.Do you have talking points to describe the 4 most
important provisions of your standard Collaborative Law
Participation Agreement? If so, please set them out. How
do you describe the differences of these provisions with
the mediation
process?_______________________________________
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9. Do you have talking points to describe to your client at
least two ways of encouraging the other party to
participate in your preferred model of Collaborative Law?
What talking points do you have to help your client
decide if encouraging the other party to participate in
mediation would be more or less favorably received and
more or less lead to a satisfactory outcome for the
family?
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______________________________________10. Do
you have talking points and protocol to estimate your
fees for Collaborative Law. If so,please set them out and
also how you compare this estimate with an estimate of
Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012
6. fees for
mediation?_____________________________________
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11. Assuming that your client opts for Collaborative Law,
what is your protocol for determining whether it would
help the process and be cost effective to engage a
mediator at the beginning of the Collaborative Process:
Before the first joint Collaborative Session, at the first
joint Collaborative Session, or prior to the second joint
Collaborative Session?
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12. Assuming that your client opts for Collaborative Law,
what is your protocol for monitoring the process
determining whether it would help the process and be
cost effective to engage a mediator during the
Collaborative Process?
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13. Assuming that your client opts for Collaborative Law,
what is your protocol for determining whether it would
help the process and be cost effective to engage a
Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012
7. mediator if one party or attorney terminates the
Collaborative Process?
14. Assuming that your client opts for mediation, what is
your protocol for determining whether it would help the
mediation process for you to serve as an unbundled
coach outside of mediation sessions? What services do
you perform in this role?
15. Assuming that your client opts for mediation, what is
your protocol for determining whether it would help the
mediation process for you to serve as an unbundled
advisor/representative/resource in the mediation
sessions? What services do you perform in this role?
16. If you also serve as a neutral mediator in some
matters, if the parties start mediation unrepresented, do
you have a protocol for recommending counsel to be
used by the parties throughout the mediation process? If
so, how do you recommend the use of Collaborative
counsel and other professionals in general, or use of
members of your own practice group in particular?
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Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012
8. 17. If you also serve as a neutral mediator in some
matters, what is your protocol for meeting with both
parties before a decision has been made to opt for
Collaborative Law or mediation? If the parties opt for
Collaborative Law after such joint meeting, what protocol
do you use to determine which party will engage you as a
Collaborative Professional and how the other party will
select his/her Collaborative Professional? Will another
member of your practice group from a different
profession attend that meeting---if so, with or without
prior knowledge and consent of the parties?
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18. How do your Participation Agreement, Attorney
Engagement Agreement, and Mediation Engagement
Agreement handle the previous questions?
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19 How does your website, brochure, and other
marketing materials handle the previous questions?
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Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012
9. ______________________________________________
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20. How do you train your Secretary/Assistant and other
members of your office covered in the previous
questions?
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Copyright Forrest S. Mosten, 2012