Given the increasing cost of litigation, many litigants and experienced litigation counsel have come to appreciate that even the victor at trial may, at the end of the day, not be a real winner in terms of actual gain. Using alternative ways of handling disputes can often save clients time and money, while providing a more informal and flexible forum for resolving legal issues. Our lawyers can assist you in determining whether an Alternative Dispute Resolution process can assist you.

"Alternative Dispute Resolution" or "ADR" encompasses a range of different forums and processes which can be utilized to resolve a dispute in an alternative way or in conjunction with traditional litigation. ADR processes include:

• Arbitration: A binding decision is made by an arbitrator who is empowered by the parties to make findings of fact, like a judge, and to render a legal decision that the parties agree to be bound by. 
 
• Mediation: Working with the parties, a neutral third party, the mediator, helps the parties explore all possibilities towards crafting a mutually satisfactory resolution to their dispute. As such, mediation is voluntary and only binding if the parties arrive at a settlement and agree to bind themselves.
 
• Collaborative Family Law: Interest based negotiations are used to assist parties in resolving disputes upon marriage breakdown. Collaborative family law lawyers and their clients agree to resolve the dispute without commencing court proceedings.

Low, Murchison features several experienced lawyers who are qualified to act either as an arbitrator, mediator or as your lawyer at a mediation or arbitration or in a collaborative family law setting. Our offices are configured and equipped to conveniently conduct on-site mediation and arbitration of disputes.

Lawyers Practicing in This Area

• Carol A. Cochrane
• James W. Jeffcott
• Douglas W.J. Smyth
• Kevin J. Cantor 
• The Honourable Kenneth C. Binks, Q.C.