Originally from Alternatives to the High Cost of Litigation

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To learn how mediating over the Internet is changing mediation, I asked 20 leading mediators from the U.S., Canada, and Britain, who together had conducted more than 1,000 Zoom mediations, what was different about mediating by video. Here is what they told me.

We like it much better than we thought. In the past mediators had voiced great doubt about practicing over the internet. Working through virtual windows with emotional people to solve difficult conflicts seemed impractical, they thought, making it at best only a temporary substitute for the in-person process.

After a few months mediators had very different views. One commented that, “The difference is remarkable from seven months ago,” and another said, “I was very, very skeptical.… Surprisingly, I am a huge fan.” What explains this new enthusiasm?