Attorney Beth Deragon authored article for the NH Bar News: The Lawyer’s Role in Mediation: Advocate, Advisor, and Problem Solver.

Mediation has become a cornerstone of modern dispute resolution. Courts increasingly encourage it, clients ask about it, and businesses often prefer it over the expense and uncertainty of trial. Yet for lawyers, mediation presents a unique challenge: how do you zealously represent your client in a forum designed to foster compromise? Lawyers who approach mediation from a one-dimensional perspective may do their clients a disservice by failing to seize the opportunities that mediation provides. This article explores the multiple hats lawyers wear in mediation, practical strategies for success, and common pitfalls to avoid. Read more: BN-10-15-25.pdf