Working As A Mediator

The most successful meditations are those in which the parties take ownership of the settlement, and the most successful mediators are those who create the conditions favorable to that outcome. By their nature, lawsuits create highly competitive and sometimes antagonistic environments; turning these demanding situations into opportunities for settlement characterizes the essence of Mr. González's success as a mediator.

He brings to his work a string of successful class action settlements in cases ranging from ERISA to employment disputes, from antitrust litigation to state agency and institutional reform. Persistence, energy, and focused attention on the issues and cases entrusted to his efforts have established him as a highly successful mediator. His reputation has lead to his appointment as a mediator by several courts.

Mr. González has mediated settlements in lawsuits that have resisted resolution for decades because he views the cases before him as multidimensional. Successfully mediating difficult cases requires sensitivity to the core interests at stake. Identifying those interests, and shaping a settlement consistent with their preservation, is the key to a successful outcome. This is true if the case is complex or simple, old or new. One of the mediator's most important tasks is to help the parties understand and accommodate the fundamental interests of the other side. Once this understanding is achieved, the process of devising a resolution moves forward with more ease.

Commenting on Mr. González's approach to mediation, one federal judge in a published opinion noted that "he possessed and demonstrated to the parties the integrity and neutrality, the understanding of and sensitivity to the respective positions to be fully accepted and trusted as an honest broker." Geier v. Bredesen, 453 F.Supp.2d at 1019. These are the qualities Mr. González brings to every dispute.