2024
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LicensingUser ReviewsMystery Shopping CallsOur goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Baltimore Mediators & Arbitrators on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.
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= Featured ProviderThe Platt Group in Annapolis evaluates and resolves complex disputes by way of arbitration, mediation, early neutral case evaluations, and other methods, and can help with the design and management of dispute resolution systems, public policy facilitation, and more. The Platt Group has experience in areas of practice ranging from family law to business law to insurance and liability.
(2)Eyler Dispute Resolution is a mediation and arbitration firm in Baltimore that offers neutral case evaluations, makes use different mediation models, and hosts settlement conferences for a range of cases and disputes in the community. As a retired judge of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals, the firm’s private mediator has over 48 years of legal experience and over 28 years as an arbitrator and mediator in state and federal courts.
The Community Mediation Program is a private nonprofit organization that has been offering mediation services to the citizens of Baltimore for over two decades. The team of nearly 20 attorneys also teaches conflict resolution skills at schools and business and among families. Community Mediation Program offers mediation training courses that consist of 55 hours of in-class instruction, experiential learning activities, apprenticeship opportunities, and follow-up training.
Eve K. Austin is a mediation and counseling service in Baltimore that deals with divorce and the family issues that accompany divorce. Eve K. Austin offers mediation, co-parent counseling, parent reunification counseling, separation and divorce therapy for children in an individual, family group, or play setting. The service has experience in dealing with families of mixed racial and ethnic backgrounds, LGBT parents and their children, and parents and children of adoptive families.
(4)Brown, Brown & Young in Bel Air is an association of injury, business, and person attorneys that has been around since 1901. The firm deals with wills and estates, business and real estate law, law having to do with injury in automobile accidents, criminal defense, and arbitration and mediation. Two of the firm’s lawyers, one arbitrator and one mediator, are often appointed to cases by local circuit courts.
(1)Maryland Divorce Mediation & Legal Services in Towson is a family law attorney that has experience in mediating cases of separation and divorce and offers legal representation for uncontested divorces. Maryland Divorce Mediation & Legal Services deals with everything from child custody and support to alimony to the distribution of property and debts. The firm offers free question-and-answer seminars for those interested in mediation services.
| Attorney Name | Bar Status | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Nancy Caplan - Principal | Active | 37 yrs |
West & West is a law firm in Baltimore that assists clients in cases involving maritime law, personal injury, Estate planning, probate, and administration, business litigation, and securities arbitration and litigation. West & West has experience in representing both sides of customer-stockbroker relations in issues such as fraud and negligence as well as the recovery of margin debts. The firm resolves disputes over account errors, the withholding of commission checks, alleged sales practice violations, and more.
(2)Goldberg & Banks is a law firm in Pikesville that serves general contractors, architects, engineers, consultants, sureties, and other clients by offering representation in complex matters of civil litigation and other elements of construction law. Goldberg & Banks offers construction law mediation and arbitration via the American Arbitration Association and on a private level. The firm has experience in handling cases involving environmental contamination, contract negotiation and drafting, and insurance coverage and intellectual property disputes.
(21)The Mediation Center of Ellicott City offers family and commercial law mediation for matters such as divorce and property division, custody agreements, and civil mediation in disputes between neighbors, homeowners and homeowners’ association, and those involved in probate disputes. The Mediation Center offers 20- and 40-hour courses for other attorneys in subjects like civil mediation, domestic property distribution and finances, and other courses that keep attorneys up-to-date with Maryland legal and ethical requirements.
(6)Mummert Law is a firm in Glen Burnie is the office of an energetic, results-oriented attorney who has experience in dealing with business and financial matters and family law. Because Mummert Law takes a problem-solving approach to the cases it handles, the firm practices a number of alternative dispute resolution techniques such as mediation and other forms of collaborative law. Mummert Law also handles estate planning, family law, business law, and provides defense for criminal and traffic offenses. The firm’s attorney is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Practice and the Mediation Guild.
| Attorney Name | Bar Status | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Timothy Mummert - Principal | Active | 22 yrs |
(1)The Law Offices of W. Scott Sonntag in Columbia is experienced in handling medical malpractice lawsuits such as birth injuries, surgical and emergency room errors, and misdiagnoses or failure to diagnose. The firm practices fair, objective mediation in cases where clients would rather resolve a dispute outside of the courtroom. Sonntag has made the Super Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers list in Maryland since 2007.
| Attorney Name | Bar Status | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Scott Sonntag - Principal | Active | 43 yrs |
(37)Law Office of Shelley M. Ingram opened in Fulton in 2012 and practices family law with a focus on divorce. The firm negotiates prenuptial agreements, matters of custody and alimony, and practices post-divorce modification, mediation, and other forms of collaborative law. Ingram received recognition as one of the 10 best female attorneys in 2016 as determined by client satisfaction ratings and the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys.
| Attorney Name | Bar Status | Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Shelly Ingram - Principal | Active | 20 yrs |
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Mediation is an alternative to going to trial during legal disputes. The parties on both sides agree to work with an impartial third party who oversees discussions concerning the matter in dispute. The goal and hope of mediation is to come to a settlement or compromise that is agreeable to both parties. The mediator doesn't represent either party but works with both to help ensure that discussions are civil and agreements are as fair as possible given the situation. In many cases, if mediation fails, then the parties can move on to a trial in court.
Arbitration is another alternative to a court trial, but it's a bit more formal than mediation. During the arbitration, evidence and testimony is presented to a panel of people who act as judges of sorts. They issue an opinion about the matter in writing, and depending on how the arbitration was entered into, it may or may not be binding. If it's binding, the parties must accept and abide by the decisions of the arbitrators. Commonly, each side selects a third-party arbitrator, and each of those people selects a third person.
Arbitration and mediation both have pros and cons, and which one is right for you depends on your personal preferences, legal goals, and the details of your case. Mediation can offer more control, and because of that, those who go through it tend to report a higher level of satisfaction. But arbitration is more formal and may provide a more structured environment, which may be needed if civil discussions aren't possible.
If you can choose a mediator or arbitrator, it's critical to look for a neutral third party. Someone who is in any way tied to either side or who might have a known strong opinion on matters related to the case may not be the best option. Legal knowledge is important for mediators and arbitrators, but arbitrators should also have court experience. Retired or former judges or trial lawyers may be good choices for arbitrators, for example.
An arbitration agreement waives your right to seek legal remedies in court under certain circumstances, specifically, if you and the other party have unresolved disputes. You submit to binding arbitration over all matters, which can be somewhat risky as arbitration agreements are usually requested by companies that have arbitration processes set up, and those processes may not be impartial.
Mandatory arbitration occurs when someone is forced to use arbitration as a means of settling an issue. One of the most common scenarios for this is employment. Employers may require that employees sign an arbitration agreement before they can begin work. The employees then give up some rights to go to court over certain employment issues.
During a child custody mediation, the mediator will likely encourage each party to focus on the needs of the child or children. The parties work together to agree on custody. They typically won't discuss matters of child support, marital property, or other factors of the divorce—unless the mediation is for the whole divorce. If you are attending mediation, it is advised to come prepared to discuss what's in the best interest of your children and situation, but also be prepared to reach a compromise.
