Reviews

Unsolicited Feedback from Mediation Participants

David, I must sincerely thank you for your devoted work on this case. What I appreciate most about your work as a mediator is the devotion and persistence you bring to the task. You actually share the same drive to settle the dispute before you that the parties themselves have. That quality is, unfortunately, too rare among the practitioners of your craft. That fact that you have it, and the insight you bring to the problems I have put before you, will undoubtedly cause me to seek you out again. Thank you very much for the most excellent service.”
– An attorney
I wanted to convey my personal thanks to you for your efforts to get this stubborn claim settled. Without your dogged determination, this dispute would not have been settled, and you should be justly proud of being able to put this one in the ‘success’ column. I hope to have the opportunity to use your skills again in a future mediation.”
– An attorney
If I haven’t made it clear already over the years, you have spoiled me for other mediators! Thanks for doing the great job that I have come to expect.”
– An attorney
I thought you did a terrific job with a very intractable dispute. Nicely done!”
– An attorney on the other side from the attorney who provided the previous comment.
On behalf of [my co-counsel and clients], we thank you for your outstanding effort in getting this matter resolved. Going in, we didn’t think a buyout was possible. However, your pre-mediation work paid off. Presenting a credible initial offer made a huge difference.”
– An attorney
Everyone on our side (…) all talked to each other about what a great job you did and how talented and well-suited to mediation you are. Thanks again for doing, once again, a great job!”
– An attorney
David: Well done. This was a difficult one to resolve, but I knew you would do it. You are a great mediator.”
– An attorney
Congratulations. You have done the impossible. Well done. I take all the credit, because I recommended you and lobbied for you to be our mediator.”
– An attorney
Thank you, on behalf of my client and me, for your hard work and expertise toward resolving our case. You have good insight, patience and sensitivity – all characteristics we really needed to resolve this case.”
– An attorney
[David] approaches mediation with intellectual curiosity. He spends time really understanding the facts and the arguments and then gives you an honest assessment. … If … you are dealing with very intelligent opponents on complex matters and the opponents will respect and (hopefully) follow the best assessment of their case, he is a very good fit.”
– An attorney
Please know how valuable your listening skill was to us. Of course, you are kind and intelligent, but that deep, real listening is what made us feel like you were in it with us. We know you have to do it for both sides, so that makes your job skills all the more impressive. It has been a long road and no one has really listened to how awful this has been. So it came as a relief.”
– A party
I really commend you for your patience and your creativity and persistence. … Hopefully I don’t need your services in the future, but if ever anyone needs anything I know who to point them to.”
– A party
Excellent job – … David was fully prepared, calm, collected and persistent and very experienced. All in all quite a good show.”
– An attorney
I wanted to say thanks for serving as our mediator … . You provided just the kind of confident yet flexible assistance we needed.”
– An attorney
[We] have received [the other side’s] payment pursuant to the Settlement Agreement. Many thanks for your successful mediation of a complex multiparty dispute that could easily have ended up in arbitration/litigation.”
– An attorney
[David] did an excellent job in a difficult case. I believe he won the trust of my client with his professional and empathetic manner.”
– An attorney
Thank you for a very professional job. Your manner was just right for our situation. You were very helpful in assisting us toward a fair resolution of an unpleasant situation. And personally, I enjoyed meeting and working with you.”
– A party
Thank you for your professionalism – we were all impressed at how you resolved what seemed to be an intractable dispute.”
– An attorney
Thanks to you and your relentlessness, counsel confirmed we have indeed a settlement … .
– An attorney
Thank you very much for your candid, thoughtful and helpful guidance through this affair.”
– An attorney representing himself
Thank you for your assistance in settling a very thorny case.”
– An attorney
You did a great job on a case that defied settlement. Thanks.”
– An attorney
Without your help [the settlement] would never have happened.”
– An attorney
You did a remarkable job in digesting a substantial quantity of unfamiliar reading material, which enabled you to provide the parties with an analysis of the case that had a great deal of credibility for both sides. Your depth of understanding and tactful presentation of the issues made it possible for the litigants to see, at a relatively early phase of the case, that there is no shame in discussing settlement, even when it seems as though one side is completely right and the other is completely wrong. You performed a real service for my clients and the court. Please accept my best wishes for the continued growth of your mediation practice.”
– An attorney
Thank you again for aiding in the settlement of this matter. I am certain that we would not have resolved the case without your skillful and patient guidance.”
– An attorney
I must say that I thought you handled [the mediation] very well and I wanted to mention that to you. I appreciate your call afterwards, too. … You obviously have a knack and talent for that [mediation] stuff and you showed it with the way you handled it.”
– An attorney (phone message)
David, I want to thank you for doing a great job at the mediation last Tuesday. You have great skills as a mediator and lawyer.”
– An attorney
I just wanted to thank you for all your guidance and your help with our mediation process. It was our first time, and hopefully last time. We really appreciate and were impressed with your expertise as well as how thorough and patient you were with [us].”
– A party
[I]t was a pleasure meeting you – the only positive thing about this whole ugly … mess.”
– A party
[A]ll of your efforts went a long way toward settling this case and I feel without your services this case would not have settled as easily. … The next time I have mediation needs I will certainly keep you in mind and suggest your name.”
– An attorney
Your services in this matter were excellent and Judge … ultimately issued a judgment that differed very slightly from your evaluation and recommendation.”
– An attorney whose client did not settle.
Your commitment and professionalism is very much appreciated and acknowledged.”
– An attorney
Thank you for your help with this matter. Although the outcome is not what I had hoped, I appreciate your method and how well you guided us through the process.”
– A party (dispute settled)
Thank you for your help in achieving a settlement … [that] was a benefit to all concerned and was reached under difficult and emotional circumstances. I appreciate your calm demeanor and fairness”
– An attorney
We appreciate your hard work to resolve this matter”
– An attorney
Thank you for your service. Both [client] and I were quite pleased by your efforts and mediative skills. Please be assured that if we are in need of your services in the future … I will have no problem on calling on your aid.””
– An attorney

Excerpts from Solicited Recommendations from Attorneys

I have used Mr. Meadows on three separate occasions, and he has resolved difficult disputes each time. … [In the first case,] Mr. Meadows quickly grasped the complex technological and legal issues and was able to resolve the litigation. … [In the second case,] again Mr. Meadows forged a settlement. … In the third case, … Mr Meadows faced particular difficulties … because the facts regarding … were hotly disputed and murky and because there was a high level of animosity and mistrust between the parties. Mr. Meadows overcame these problems and helped the parties agree on a resolution. … I have found Mr. Meadows to be an effective mediator. He is particularly good at building trust in the business people ultimately responsible for deciding whether to settle a dispute. I have no doubt that he would be a capable mediator on … matters.”
– An attorney
I prefer mediators who I know are excellent attorneys and have the presence to command the respect of both the parties and their respective attorneys in arriving at a resolution. Mr. Meadows was and is such a mediator. … I have used him for three separate matters. Mr. Meadows was successful in resolving all of the disputes. Indeed, in each matter, all of them commercial litigation disputes, Mr. Meadows took what I considered to be a difficult fact situation and came away with a resolution. For each mediation session, Mr. Meadows was prepared, understood the legal issues, and quickly narrowed the points of dispute to allow the session to focus on a successful resolution path. I believe that only an attorney of Mr. Meadows’ skills and experience is qualified to achieve these types of results.”
– An attorney
We have used the mediation services of Mr. Meadows on at least three separate occasions. In each case, Mr. Meadows was well prepared, professional in his manner and very effective. … Superimposed on the [first] case was a high level of emotion and mistrust. In his calm and professional manner, Mr. Meadows cooled emotions, developed the appropriate facts of the case and creatively resolved the entire matter. I believe the mediation took at least three sessions. … [In the second case,] again, his calm, professional and creative manner of mediating, resulted in a settlement. Because of my complete confidence in Mr. Meadows’ abilities as a mediator, I suggested to my former law partners that we use Mr. Meadows to mediate the disputes which arose when we dissolved our law partnership. They agreed to use him. We are very happy with the work he did in mediating those issues.”
– An attorney
I have mediated four matters with David in the last two years. Each case settled. … In all of these matters, David was personable, professional, courteous, and quick to grasp the essential issues in the case. All of my clients were very impressed with him and thought he did an outstanding job. I have, and continue to, recommend David as a mediator in many of my cases.”
– An attorney