Alternative Dispute Resolution to Solve Employment Disputes
Whether you are an employee or an employer, resolving a workplace legal dispute through Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) methods can be more efficient and less costly than filing a lawsuit. ADR includes mediation, in which disputes are discussed and resolved before a third-party neutral, and arbitration, which involves an arbitrator who evaluates a case and issues a binding decision.
At Thatcher Law Firm, our attorneys have extensive experience representing clients in mediations and arbitrations. Our founding partner, Linda Hitt Thatcher, is a Certified Mediator in civil matters and frequently serves as a neutral, guiding opposing sides to a mutually agreeable solution. We regularly work with mediators, arbitrators, and opposing counsel in ADR matters, and we have experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants. This breadth of experience provides our attorneys with a comprehensive view of ADR and allows them to deliver expert, trustworthy counsel to our clients.
How Mediation and Arbitration Work in Employment Law
In employment disputes, arbitration may be chosen as a means of dispute resolution, or it may be contractually required. Both the employer and employee present their case to an arbitrator. Labor disputes involving unions may also use arbitration to settle matters.
The arbitration process is typically far more streamlined compared to a court case. An arbitrator’s final decision is binding and the ability to appeal is limited. Our attorneys have provided positive results for both employer and employee clients through arbitration.
Disputes settled by mediation, by contrast, also use a neutral third-party, but the job of the neutral is to help the parties come to an agreement. Our role during mediation is to ensure that our clients are fully informed about their choices and to act as an advocate for their best interests.
In other cases, our attorneys also serve as mediators. When we are selected by the parties to act as neutral, both sides can be confident that our expertise and breadth of experience serve them well. Thatcher Law Firm Mediators help parties on both sides of a conflict find areas of mutual agreement on which to build a win-win solution.
Our Firm’s Approach to Mediation
Our “direct, dynamic, and effective” approach maximizes results.
Direct answers: We listen to you, quickly define your issues, and eliminate obstacles to effective communication. Understandably, reliving the facts of a lawsuit can be emotional for all parties, but we focus on the issues that are capable of resolution and move the parties past irreconcilable differences to achieve a mutually beneficial solution.
Dynamic results: Named as one of the Washington metropolitan area’s “Top Lawyers” by Washingtonian Magazine consistently since 2007, Ms. Thatcher brings the experience of a successful veteran litigator to every case she mediates. She does not pull punches, and she will not hesitate to confidentially tell each side the unvarnished truth about the strengths and weaknesses of their cases. Having successfully achieved seven-figure settlements for plaintiffs in employment lawsuits, while also getting discrimination suits dismissed at summary judgment for Fortune 500 companies, Ms. Thatcher understands both the perspective of the plaintiff and the defendant. This allows her to zero in on where the possibility for settlement lies.
Effective solutions: If the parties need more time to resolve their differences after the conclusion of the mediation session, Ms. Thatcher will continue to act as a mediator through continued communications with the parties by phone or email, and in person again if necessary.
Mediation is a cost-effective alternative to litigation if the parties can reach a settlement without needless delay. Ms. Thatcher is unafraid to tell clients and attorneys the hard truths they need to know to facilitate a settlement. Her direct style eliminates hours of unproductive back and forth, saving clients time and money.
Based on her broad experience in employment law, on both the employer and employee sides, Ms. Thatcher develops creative solutions that work for you.
Contact Thatcher Law Firm About Employment Law Mediation and Arbitration Services
If you want to resolve your dispute through mediation or arbitration, our legal team is available to advise and guide you through the process. We also provide experienced and effective services as a third-party neutral in mediation. To learn more about our alternative dispute resolution services, please send us a message online or call 301-850-1246.
We serve clients throughout Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C.