“An ounce of mediation is worth a pound of arbitration and a ton of litigation!”
— Joseph Grynbaum.
What is Mediation?
Mediation is a confidential and voluntary process in which a neutral third party—called a mediator—helps two or more people resolve a dispute. The mediator does not take sides or make decisions for the parties. Instead, they facilitate communication, help clarify issues, and guide participants toward a mutually acceptable agreement.
Mediation can be used in a variety of settings, including in workplace disputes, business disagreements, community conflicts, and other situations where parties want to avoid formal legal proceedings. It’s often faster, less expensive, and less adversarial than going to court.
Key benefits of mediation include:
Confidentiality: What is discussed in mediation stays private.
Control: The parties make their own decisions, rather than having a judge or arbitrator decide.
Cost-effectiveness: Mediation typically requires fewer resources than litigation.
Efficiency: Many disputes can be resolved in a matter of hours or days, rather than months or years.
Preservation of relationships: Mediation fosters cooperative problem-solving, which can be especially important in ongoing relationships.
Whether you're facing a legal dispute or simply want to find a more peaceful, constructive way to resolve conflict, mediation offers a respectful and empowering path forward.
Why Sabalones Law?
Gabriell Sabalones brings a multidisciplinary background to her work in mediation and peacebuilding. She holds degrees in Intercultural Peacebuilding, Communication, Law, and Business Administration, and completed coursework at Hebrew University of Jerusalem focused on narratives in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She has experience mediating and arbitrating landlord-tenant disputes through the BYU Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution and contributed to the development of a peacebuilding academy in Jerusalem. As a teaching assistant for negotiation courses, she supported law students in applying conflict resolution theory to practice. Her professional experience also includes legal advocacy for families in child welfare and juvenile defense cases, research and policy work with nonprofit and international organizations, and community-based conflict support for LGBTQ+ youth and families.
FAQs
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Mediation is effective for a wide range of disputes, including workplace conflicts, business disagreements, landlord-tenant issues, neighborhood or community disputes, and more. If the parties are willing to talk and explore solutions, mediation can often help.
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A typical session involves each party sharing their perspective, identifying key issues, and working—through guided discussion—toward a solution everyone can agree on. The mediator keeps the conversation constructive, neutral, and focused on resolution.
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Mediation itself is not legally binding unless the parties reach an agreement and choose to formalize it themselves. That written agreement is legally enforceable if it’s signed by the parties. Sabalones Law will never ask the parties to sign an agreement as part of a mediation. If the parties decide to sign the document, that will be done outside of mediation on their own terms.
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No, you don’t need a lawyer to take part in mediation. However, some people choose to consult with an attorney before or after mediation. Some even have an attorney present during the mediation. Your legal representative is welcome to any mediation session with Sabalones Law. It’s important to us that you have all the information and support you need to make a decision.
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Yes. Mediation is a private process. What’s discussed in the session stays in the session and cannot be used in court or other proceedings, except in very limited circumstances (like threats of harm). not to record any audio or video, not to take any photos, or otherwise create a physical or digital record of the session. That also means no posting, blogging, or speaking to others about the mediation after the mediation. Parties may bring other people to support them during the mediation, but those people must also agree to the same level of confidentiality.
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Yes! We offer both in-person and virtual mediation via secure video conferencing, making it accessible no matter where you're located.