Alternate Dispute Resolution

The lawyers at Constangy, Brooks & Smith, LLC are committed to working with employers to find alternatives to costly and often destructive litigated outcomes.  Lawsuits rarely produce clear victories for any party.  Economic investments in litigation are only part of the costs incurred.  In addition, the investment of management resources and lost business opportunities can often exceed the fees and court costs of trial.  Further, damaged relationships inevitably result when polarized positions must be assumed for purposes of litigation. 

The federal and state court systems are increasingly referring cases to mediation as a mandatory precondition to trial.  However, different skills must be exercised in mediation than in litigation.  The firm has lawyers trained and qualified as mediators to pursue negotiated outcomes in employment and business disputes which can be less costly, more efficient and less destructive to valuable business relationships than litigation. Even cases in litigation can be managed toward beneficial settlements when the firm's lawyers, trained in the process of mediation, advocate on behalf of the client.

Greater control over the result of legal disputes at significantly less cost than trial can often be obtained by the diligent pursuit of litigation alternatives.  The firm's lawyers are committed to assist in that pursuit.