The problem with conference calls
mediator blah…blah…: I do a lot of conference calls. They are often tense, being the first time counsel have met outside the litigation arena.
Most of the time I meet counsel ahead of time on a 10 minute call and nail down the logistics of the mediation (’let’s meet in this city/this law firm - no…my city/my firm is nicer/closer/easier to get to…’) and iron out any wrinkles (’if you bring X, that’s a problem for my people…’).
Because I have a dial-in facility, participants can call in from anywhere - and do.
Like the time one attorney made a point of saying he was calling in from his office, but when the ironing board on which he had placed the phone at his batch (holiday house) collapsed and the dog started barking, he had no where to go.[click on the title of this post to read more...]