Business disputes regularly arise. These disputes have the potential to create significant financial consequences if they are not resolved promptly.
There are several ways to resolve a business dispute and mediation can used as a form of alternative dispute resolution which is generally less expensive and less formal than going to court. Business partner mediation essentially involves an expert mediator facilitating discussions between the parties involved in the dispute. The aim of mediation is to resolve the dispute in a fair and sensible manner agreeable to both parties.
Approaching mediation in a strategic and pragmatic manner can significantly increase your prospects of achieving a fair outcome. We can guide you through the process and help you to move forward with confidence, irrespective of who you are in a dispute with - whether a business partner, customer, supplier, service provider or otherwise.
We assist with business dispute mediation, including:
- representing you at mediation;
- providing you with legal advice regarding the dispute;
- strategic planning in preparation for mediation;
- formulating without prejudice offers to resolve the dispute both before, after and during the mediation;
- providing you with details about your options if mediation fails to resolve the matter; and
- preparing a Settlement Deed to document a mutually agreed resolution.
We also assist with business partner disputes more generally.
Our usual approach is to:
- provide you with a clear and transparent quote;
- have an initial discussion about the dispute, your desired outcome and other key factors which may impact our approach;
- provide advice regarding the legal boundaries for the business dispute (including exploring what we can potentially use as leverage, and what may be used against you);
- collaborate with you to develop a strategy plan; and
- methodically execute the plan and adapt where necessary.
Our advice will not focus narrowly on money. We consider the broader context – including factoring in the amount of time invested, energy consumed, and distraction caused by the dispute. That being said, if obtaining a certain amount of money is important to you, we will relentlessly pursue that for you.
Want to Keep Your Business Dispute Out of Court? Try a Mediation Session with Us
Rarely can a dispute between multiple parties be resolved successfully without third-party mediation and legal support. Having an unbiased intervention during a commercial dispute can open up the lines of communication and help each party to understand the position of the others. Business mediation is voluntarily attended by anybody who is involved in a dispute and wants to avoid a costly and time-consuming court case. Read More
High legal fees aren’t the only costs to consider if the case were to end up going to court. Business dispute mediation sessions are kept confidential and private between the mediator and the parties involved in the disagreement. If the case went to court, the details would be made public and potentially cause reputational damage.
At Velocity Legal, we’re available to assist you with our business mediation services. Whether you’re embroiled in a dispute with an employee, customer, supplier, business partner, or someone else, we can advise you on how a mediation session would work and give you ideas on how you can achieve a fair and quick resolution. The support we offer includes but isn’t limited to the following:
- Making your case heard at a mediation hearing.
- Helping devise a plan to ensure you feel confident and can back your decisions during the mediation.
- Negotiating deals with the other parties involved in your commercial dispute before resorting to mediation.
- Talking you through your options should you fail to make your case heard at the mediation hearing.
- Advising you on how to reduce any possible damage to your business reputation if the dispute were to be made public.
- Preparing settlement documentation once a resolution has been reached with all parties.
Tips for Resolving Your Dispute During a Business Mediation Meeting
There are actions you can take to ensure that the dispute ends at the mediation session, if not sooner. Check them out below.
1. Nip the problem in the bud before it gets out of hand.
Don’t just ignore the situation and hope it’ll resolve itself; it won’t. Show the parties you are having the disagreement with that you’re keen to find a solution that will satisfy all involved as soon as possible. They’ll have more respect for your position and be just as eager to reduce the length of time the dispute goes on for and the costs involved.
2. Make a strong impact with a clear opening statement.
Our commercial lawyers can help you choose how to start explaining your perspective on the dispute and convey how you’d like to engage the other parties to resolve it.
3. After you’ve reached a resolution, make sure that you draft a document outlining what was agreed on while it’s still fresh in your mind.
If you choose to be accompanied by one of our business lawyers, they’ll make sure to do this for you so that you don’t have to worry about further disagreements and misunderstandings affecting your business in the future.
To learn more about our business mediation services, book a free consultation call with us. Read Less
