News and Updates

I must begin by stressing that the following story occurred before I had any formal mediation training and is not something I would do now.  A few years ago a couple of the women in my extended family were engaged in conflict that was spilling over to other members of the family.  It is tradition in our family to all gather at one house for desserts, conversation, and drinks after everyone has had their dinners at their respective locations.  These two women thus ended up in the same location...

I have lived in the Chicago area for over a decade.  In that time my methods for dealing with personal conflict have changed drastically.  When I was starting out as a litigator, I used a "tit-for-tat" strategy when dealing with opposing counsels.  When they were polite and reasonable, so was I.  When they tried to push me around or acted in a way I thought was rude or unreasonable, I became much less cooperative. 

As I got older I saw how futile striking back could be.  I would never advoc...