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Alternative Dispute Resolution Attorney in Lee's Summit, Missouri

Summit Mediation Services Processes

Attorney Michael Swisher embraces the opportunity to integrate legal services with alternative dispute resolution through Swisher Law Office and Summit Mediation Services.

Lee’s Summit attorney Michael Swisher has over 30 years of successful legal experience. He offers cutting-edge innovations for sustainable planning and training, alternatives in dispute resolution, and facilitated processes such as mediation and arbitration. These processes gel with attorney Swisher’s personal style, which is to treat the whole person and whole issue. Because these processes are client-driven, many people who have been through them report feeling more empowered and more satisfied with both the process and the results.

Litigation & Alternative Dispute Resolution

Legal issues are normally handled by employing one of two types of models:

  • Litigation model: Two parties who are in dispute over a civil legal issue go to court. A formal, public process with a judge proceeds. The judge (in some cases a jury) makes the final, legally binding decision.

  • Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) model: Two parties work together, typically, to find a mutually agreeable solution to their issue. The process is facilitated by attorneys, a mediator or an arbitrator. These processes are private.

Most people are familiar with the litigation model for handling legal disputes. This is plaintiff vs. defendant and usually involves the engagement of an attorney and filing or defense of a formal complaint in court.

The Difference Between Arbitration & Mediation

Most people are less familiar with alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes than they are with traditional litigation. ADR techniques often allow for a quicker, less expensive and unique solution to a particular issue. ADR options include:

  • Arbitration: In the arbitration process, two parties explain their side of the story to a neutral arbitrator. The arbitrator makes a decision. If the arbitrator’s decision is “binding” then the two parties have agreed beforehand to abide by the arbitrator’s decision. If the decision is nonbinding, then there is no enforceable award or action that must be taken by the parties.

  • Mediation: The mediation process is guided by a neutral third-party mediator. The mediator works with both parties to find a creative solution to achieve common ground. This ADR modality is used in many different legal areas, including family law issues, business law, civil matters and even some juvenile criminal cases.

  • Strategic negotiation: This is a method of working with a professional negotiator (usually an attorney) to create the conditions that enable the parties to attain their goals.

You are invited to find out more about these processes and if they may be helpful in your situation by calling the firm. Your phone call, email or initial visit to find out more about these processes and your case are always free.

Get the Legal Help You Need

To learn more about attorney Michael Swisher, his approach and whether ADR may be appropriate to help settle your particular issue, call now. You can also send an inquiry to the firm’s email via this email link. As stated above, initial visits or preliminary inquiries about the ADR process are free. We are committed to investing in you and your concerns. Simply contact the firm.