By Christina L. Scott, J.D.
They say adversity is the mother of invention and COVID-19 is certainly no exception. Never before in our lifetime have we been faced with a global event that affects every single person on the planet. This challenge has caused many of us to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones and to think outside the box. The legal industry is no exception. Cloud or video mediation is happening and it works! Some people, however, are still a little apprehensive about cloud mediation. The truth is mediating online is a beneficial workaround to allow mediation to continue safely during this pandemic.
ADVANTAGES
-Safe
-More time to actually mediate
-Convenient: no travel time or expense
-Efficient and fewer obstacles to scheduling
-Great for second sessions of mediation: the reluctance to gather again because of -time and cost is reduced
-Works great if parties or lawyers are geographically remote
DISADVANTAGES
-Occasional technical glitches
-Some technology related delays in everyone viewing and signing documents
-Potential distractions: pets, kids, other tasks
As you can see, the advantages of cloud mediation outweigh the disadvantages. Many of the disadvantages can be overcome by applying a good dose of patience! All our lives and jobs are somewhat altered during this pandemic. If we can apply a little more empathy and understanding, we can overcome almost any disadvantage as it relates to mediating, lawyering, educating, or whatever our “work at home” jobs may be.
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