Mediation Practice

Mr. El Dabe and Mr. Ritter have mediated cases on a volunteer basis in Los Angeles and Orange County.  Due to their experience and reputation, they are regularly called upon by trial lawyers, plaintiffs-lawyers and defense-lawyers alike, to mediate cases.  They have also been called upon by the office of the Los Angeles Superior Court to serve as voluntary settlement officers.  Local courts, overburdened with filing and cases set for trial, promotes mediation and voluntary settlement conferences as a method of settling cases before trial.

Mediation is fast, effective and affordable when compared to a court trial or jury trial.  Many cases are settled in a mediation setting.  Mediation generally consists of both sides and their counsel coming together and exchanging information confidentially, in an effort ascertain the viability of the merits of their cases, with the hope of settlement.   Mediation can benefit the litigant toes; a settled cases will avoid the protracted time and expense of a trial and litigants can avoid the emotional toll of trial.  The neutral party in the mediation is often a retired judge or experienced lawyer, whose goal it is to bring all sides closer to agreement on the case, or in some cases, a specific issue.  During a mediation, all sides get an opportunity to evaluate witnesses, hear the evidence, obtain a better understanding of the arguments, and (attempt to) predict the results of trial.

A mediation or settlement conference can take place either before or after a lawsuit is filed. A mediation can also take place over several days,  if they involve multiple complex issues, or a large number of parties.   

Mr. El Dabe and Mr. Ritter mediate cases regularly in the Southern California area.  If you are interested in obtaining the services of Mr. El Dabe or Mr. Ritter as a mediator, please contact El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers.