Why Mediate?

 

I love mediation! It's one of the things I enjoy most about what I do. Mediation empowers the parties in a dispute, and allows for creative solutions that a court could never come up with.

 

I believe in settling disputes in an efficient and cost-effective way. I also believe that parties should have some control over how their problems are solved. That's why I believe in mediation. 

 

Mediation takes the "what if" out of going to trial. The parties get to craft their own solutions to their problems with the help of a skilled mediator, instead of having a judge impose an outcome. When you get to have some say in the outcome of your dispute, it can be much easier to get on with the more important things in your life.

 

When to Mediate?

 

Mediation can be a great tool to resolve conflicts at all stages, whether a dispute is just emerging, or a trial is coming up. 

 

A well-timed mediation before a dispute gets out of control can help parties avoid a court battle, help fix misunderstandings, or help repair the relationship between the parties. This can save time, money, frustrations, and relationships.

 

Once litigation is underway, mediation can help parties resolve some or all of their issues, and gives the parties a chance to control the outcome of their dispute. I think mediating early in litigation can be a great way to avoid the frustrations and delays that come with having to go to court. If you can't resolve your legal issues early, that's ok! It's never too late to mediate.

​How can I help?
 

​For more information about mediation with me, please check out www.GastownMediation.ca or www.OkanaganMediation.ca or email me at ashley@syermediation.ca. You can also book a half day mediation here or a full day mediation here.

I often act for clients in mediations as their lawyer. This means I can help guide the mediation in a way that helps my clients get the best resolution for their problems. I can also give you advice before a mediation if you don't need or want a lawyer to represent you at the mediation.

 

I am also a mediator. This means I can help all the parties to a dispute reach a resolution they can live with, by working with the parties to craft their own unique solution. I can mediate for parties who have their own lawyers, or those who are representing themselves. ​

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Some recent examples of cases I have mediated include:

• A complex wrongful dismissal case involving with-cause allegations and a counterclaim

• A motor vehicle accident where the plaintiff had long-lasting psychological injuries arising from the accident

• A commercial lease dispute with allegations of breach from all parties

• A claim arising from a consulting agreement with allegations of cause for termination and director mismanagement

• A dispute between a co-op and a resident that involved the possible termination of the resident's housing

 

I hold a Certified Mediator (C. Med) designation from the ADR Institute of Canada, and a Registered Roster Mediator (RRM) designation from Mediate BC, which means I have and continue to meet strict training and education standards as a mediator. 

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I am a roster mediator for the BC Human Rights Tribunal, and mediate human rights complaints. I am available to mediate human rights matters outside of the ordinary Tribunal process. For parties with counsel, please ask me about my fixed rate for BCHRT mediations.

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Sometimes parties need help reaching an agreement before their dispute really becomes a dispute. I can help with that too. From workplace mediations to facilitating conversations between various stakeholders, I am able to assist in figuring out what is important to the parties, and getting them on track to find a compromise.

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