Our Services
The purpose of mediation is to provide a forum for consensual dispute resolution by the parties to the dispute. The mediator is not a decisionmaker in the process. The mediator will also not act as an advocate for any party to a mediation. The mediator will honor the rights of the parties themselves to determine the outcome of the mediation, will act impartially, and will avoid coercion, improper influence and conflicts of interest.
A touchstone of successful mediation is respectful conduct between and among all the participants. We aim to foster a comfortable, respectful atmosphere of open communication and information exchange where the parties can effectively recognize, discuss and resolve the issues dividing them.
Our name and logo were chosen to invoke St. Augustine’s iconic Bridge of Lions, which for us is a daily reminder that bridges, whether physical or metaphysical, exist to span divides and bring people together.
FEES
The mediator’s fee for a two-party mediation is $250 per hour. For a three-party mediation, the fee is billed at a rate of $375 per hour, and mediations with four or more parties are billed at $500 per hour. The miniumum charge for mediation time in circuit civil cases is for three (3) hours. Mediation time charges are billed for all time spent by the mediator on the matter, including but not limited to preparation and necessary follow-up time. This is a general statement of the fee structure; a complete statement of the fees and expenses to be charged will be included in a Procedure and Fee Agreement which must be signed by each party and attorney at the time of engagement of the mediator.
I am available to work statewide. For in-person mediations, there is no charge for travel time to the following counties: Nassau, Baker, Duval, Bradford, Clay, St. Johns, Alachua, Putnam, Flagler, Marion, Volusia, Lake, Seminole, Orange and Brevard. Chargeable travel time and expenses to other parts of the state will be determined on a case-by-case basis. In-person mediations outside St. Johns County may require the parties to pay for facility rentals (e.g., conference rooms).
Contact us
Please call Ed Westfield at (646) 423-5051; or send us an e-mail or text message with your date and time preference(s) for a mediation conference and we will reply promptly.