Paul E. Garrison is a staunch proponent of Alternative Dispute Resolution with first hand knowledge of the benefits to both parties when disputes are resolved early, efficiently and without costly litigation.

As a senior executive and attorney for large companies for 18 years, Paul's expertise was vital to the resolution of numerous commercial, employment and labor disputes through mediation and arbitration. Realizing how much he enjoyed litigation strategy and the importance of the dispute resolution process, Paul decided to start his own ADR practice. He has already achieved early success in settling cases by leveraging the knowledge, proficiency and expertise developed as a result of handling a wide range of cases from single plaintiff cases to multi-plaintiff lawsuits and class actions.

In addition to his practical work experience, Paul's academic interest in ADR began over 20 years ago. At Cornell University's School of Industrial & Labor Relations in Ithaca, NY, Paul was trained in ADR and learned the importance of being fair, reasonable and balanced in his perspective when serving as a Neutral. His scholastic knowledge about ADR was furthered at Vanderbilt School of Law in Nashville, TN. 

Beyond academia, Paul has been certified as a Mediator by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service since 1997. He has also been certified as a Commercial Arbitrator by the American Arbitration Association. The United States District Court for the Northern District of California has appointed him as an Early Neutral Evaluator and Mediator where he handles both business and employment disputes. He has been appointed as Mediator by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Business Philosophy

Paul's philosophy is that both parties deserve a positive mediation experience and are entitled to:

• a SKILLED Listener who doesn't make snap judgments about the case or the people involved;
• an OBJECTIVE EVALUATION of the legal and factual strengths and weaknesses of their case;
• a prepared, hard-working and persistent Mediator who helps parties avoid obstacles and break impasses. He is willing to do the necessary post-mediation follow up;
• a Mediator with FINELY-TUNED instincts who can connect with different personalities and he displays a keen sensitivity to cross-cultural dynamics and gender issues; and
• a well-managed ADR process that balances having the parties "tell their side" with real negotiation.

Business APPROACH

Paul's approach is built upon these fundamentals. Based upon his years of experience as a management advocate, Paul knows how to tailor the ADR process to meet today's business needs. He understands that businesses want to prevent operations from being disrupted by unnecessary lawsuits. They want to guard themselves from being an "easy target" for litigation so they can focus on their core mission. Moreover, they want to protect their assets from meritless claims and insulate their valuable reputation from potential harm.

Paul also knows that individuals want their rights vindicated without protracted and costly litigation which can take enormous amounts of time and resources. Preservation of their professional reputation and income continuation are paramount. With respect to employment and labor disputes, Paul's success is attributable to the fact that he has maintained the resolve to "do the right thing" for the company as well as the employee. Moreover, Paul was reared in a labor-oriented household in Tennessee - his father was a Representative for the Steelworker's Union. His background has helped him develop an ADR approach that is balanced and impartial.

Paul further differentiates himself from other Neutrals by not forcing the parties to arbitrarily choose to settle on a number between the offer and demand simply to settle the case. Rather, Paul believes that the parties are better served when the ADR process is customized and implemented in a manner that helps both parties "own" the process and reach a settlement that they believe is fair.

Similarly, Paul's arbitration philosophy is largely built upon the same fundamentals in that he will impartially listen to both sides, weigh the evidence presented and render a fair and reasonable opinion.

Ultimately, Paul believes that the court system is the beneficiary of a well-run ADR process as it also reduces the number of cases that can overburden and absorb the court's limited resources.

As you know, every case is simply not appropriate for the same Neutral. In today's world, mediation and arbitration are effective when they offer flexibility in responding to diverse needs. Select Paul Garrison when you need a skilled Neutral who practices the mediation fundamentals and who will tenaciously work to help you resolve your dispute. He is looking forward to being of service to you, your firm or business. Feel free to browse his website to learn more about him and his service offerings.

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