A mediator capable of applying mediation the theory and technique to the cases in front of her

By Mark Watkins, Ph.D.: Able To Help, Mediation and Legal Documents

I was originally trained as a mediator in 1992. I taught conflict management at the university level between 1995 and 2013. In the last 25 years I have participated in a supportive role in dozens of mediations. It is with that expertise in the field of conflict resolution and mediation that I give Karen Sloat 5 stars.

So many attorney mediators just do what they were trained to do in law school– analyze the case and argue the merits. That often results in the same adversarial contest and entrenchment that gave rise to the lawsuit to begin with. Skilled mediators, like Ms. Sloat, do more than that. They identify parties needs and work to achieve outcomes that meet those needs. They approach resolution of conflict as a collaboration, rather than a zero-sum game and encourage parties to view negotiations from that perspective. These are the ways in which Karen Sloat showed us she is not just a lawyer relying on what she learned in law school, but a mediator capable of applying mediation the theory and technique to the cases in front of her. It is beyond the scope of this short review to comment on Ms. Sloat’s communication and facilitation skills, capacity for neutrality, etc. Suffice to say that if she didn’t have those in abundance too, she would not be the very capable, dedicated mediator I observed during a recent mediation.