Change Consulting and Mediation Services

· Mediation · Arbitration · Consulting · Training · Writing
Dr. Dorri Jacobs, Director and Mediator 
Phone: 212-222-4606           E-mail: dorrija@aol.com

Dispute resolution for team-building, business, community or domestic conflicts empower parties to end adversarial impasses, find common ground, salvage their relationships, save money and time, reach amicable agreements.

The FIRST Step WHY choose MEDIATION? WHAT happens in a session? How long do sessions last? AREAS of practice The COST COMMENTS from clients ABOUT your MEDIATOR AFFILIATES

THE FIRST STEP Call 212-222-4606, or e-mail to dorrija@aol.com to briefly discuss the matter, ask questions and schedule an initial session. For work-related disputes, mediations can be arranged at your workplace, or in a neutral setting. And if a local mediation isn't feasible, as long as her expenses are paid, Dr. Jacobs will travel. WHY choose mediation? Conflict is very stressful. Unresolved problems with people at work prevent us from performing our jobs effectively. Long held anger, old ways of relating to others interfere with happiness and serenity. Mediation offers a wonderful, fast, low-cost, empowering, non-adversarial alternative to litigation. It saves you both time and money. A structure process with a highly trained neutral professional empowers parties to end an adversarial impasse, improve communication, salvage a business or personal relationship that has been at risk, and reach an amicable agreement to successfully resolve a dispute. Dorri is adept at overcoming resistance, developing rapport and building trust. Disputants come away from a session feeling successful, with many techniques they'll continue to use.

WHAT happens  during a session? 
 
Your mediator meets with two or more parties who are in conflict. As long as each person comes in good faith, committed to working things out, mediation is very effective. You learn how to listen more sensitively, discuss your own needs, hear what someone else wants, understand any differences and find common ground. Then you will work together to find a new solution that is mutually satisfactory.

HOW LONG do sessions last?
 
The length and spacing of sessions are decided by the parties, with the mediator.This depends on the complexity of the issues, as well as how many people are involved in the matter and present to discuss it. Some cases can be resolved in less than two hours. When several parties are in a mediation, more than one session is usually needed. Flexibility, willingness to talk and openness are all important. Should one person refuse to listen, remain stuck in a fixed position or be antagonistic, progress will be slower.

AREAS of practice, types of disputes
 
More than 25 years of professional experience as a consultant, mediator, arbitrator, educator and counselor give Dorri a deep understanding of human behavior and a sensitivity to the needs of very diverse individuals. A specialist in change and work issues, she is very knowledgeable about labor-management matters, performance appraisals, job termination, intellectual property, conflicts during mergers and cutbacks. She has facilitated meetings, assisted with team-building, helped people resolve a wide range of business, securities, community, neighbor to neighbor  and domestic disputes:

On the job: About writers rights, intellectual property, contracts, partnership agreements, termination, conflicts between employees, an individual and his or her supervisor, members of a work team, during downsizing and organizational change.

• Helped an employee on a corrective action because of poor performance clarify his responsibilities, improve communication with his supervisor and identify career options, rather than lose his job
  
• Assisted in the dissolution of a partnership, when both parties were at an impasse in their negotiations
  
• Enabled the partners of a firm who had been in dispute for three years to stop arguing, resolve their differences, stay in business, improve communication with their staff
  
• Worked with managers about to fire several workers on how and when to deliver this news so it was received with less animosity, and so employees' performance wouldn't be adversely affected during their remaining time on the job

Security cases: About U-5 ratings, negligence, defamation of character, failure to execute, fraud, improper trading practices, breach of fiduciary duties, unsuitable securities, churning, day trading, margin calls, clearing disputes, family trusts

Domestic discord: About living arrangements, home ownership, mortgages, leases, marital relationships, child visitation and custody, common-law wife and the mother of a child

• Coached a young couple who were breaking up so they listened to each other and learned new ways to handle anger and conflict
  
• Helped a large family that lived in different places and was not talking about their problems decide how their mortgage would be paid and who should live in the house

Neighbors: About noise, parking spaces, children, money, property, harassment and assault

THE COST:
 

• Initial meeting (if you are not ready to go forward): $100
  
• Mediation for a business: $350 for up to 2 hours, then $150/hour.
  
• Disputes of a personal nature between individuals: $100/hour, for a minimum of 2 hours.