Why I Like Being a Mediator

Though my practice focuses primarily on patent and other intellectual property disputes, in the 25 years that I have served as an advocate, I have handled cases ranging from antitrust to zoning. While most of these cases have been complex commercial cases—often with millions, tens of millions, or even hundreds of millions of dollars in dispute—I have also handled smaller cases very personal to my clients, including civil rights cases, personal injury cases, and a divorce case. I have learned that there are few greater privileges than being entrusted by a client to take a case to trial, and few greater professional pleasures than winning a case for a client. I relish serving my clients as their advocate.

Serving as a mediator offers none of this. There is no trial and no winning; there is not even a client. The role of mediator is entirely different. Nevertheless, I became attracted to the idea of serving as a mediator while participating in mediations as an advocate, and I began mediating as a service to the court at the invitation of a judge. Mediating, for all of its differences, is also very fulfilling.