Flying Pig: Essential Tool For Mediators

Flying Pig is an essential tool for facilitative mediators. Faced with outrageously bullish statements by the lawyers for both parties, you have to maintain a poker face in order to be perceived as neutral and impartial. How do you convey to the lawyers and their clients that “There’s simply no doubt that the plaintiff will […]
How to spot a fake apology – especially an insult-and-justification-masquerading-as-an-apology

Good mediators think a lot about apologies because they are always searching for things that a party can contribute to the settlement “pie” that may not cost that party much (or anything) but nonetheless have value in the eyes of the party receiving them. I have mediated disputes in which a party viewed an apology […]
You need FlyingPig in your mediation toolkit

Here’s the latest addition to my #mediation toolkit. A hidden catapult in its nose sends #FlyingPig soaring over parties making outrageous demands … and brings them down to Earth. FlyingPig does not derogate from the mediator’s neutrality because it’s automatically triggered by utterly disingenuous statements by a party such as “Well, it’s true we’re asking […]
The final skill you need to acquire before starting to practise law: Simultaneous translation

Originally published at New Lawyer Language. Dear New Lawyer, Re: The final skill you need to acquire before starting to practise law: Simultaneous translation Congratulations on finally becoming a lawyer. It was hard work, took a long time, and cost a lot, but at last you are ready to strut your stuff as a lawyer. […]