Do Mediators Still Need Office Space?

The traditional model of formal alternative dispute resolution required that mediators own or rent office space to meet parties and their legal representatives. In that model, a mediator might use their space containing a conference room and several caucus rooms for small group meetings. They might also rent shared space among a group of mediators, including sharing a receptionist who calendars mediations for multiple mediators. But in the age of online mediations, is access to physical office space for mediators an absolute necessity? The answer is Yes and No.

Yes: As every practicing mediator knows, whenever one deals with multiple parties, disagreements will come up. In fact, parties do not need to disagree, there may be complications based on preferences…

As the number of mediators grows, so does increased competition…