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Mediator Services

Experienced Dispute Mediation Services for Business

Hugh M. Fain

Dana D. McDaniel 

John Carroll

MEDIATOR SERVICES

Litigation may not be the most effective way for your business to settle a dispute. In addition to our courtroom experience, Spotts Fain is recognized for providing professional alternative dispute resolution, under the direction of attorney Dana McDaniel. Our mediator services are designed to help parties resolve conflicts at the earliest realistic opportunity and, when settlement is not possible, to streamline litigation and reduce litigation costs.

If you have a commercial dispute that is beginning to rise to the level of possible litigation, contact us to schedule a consultation with Dana D. McDaniel.

Contact our offices in Richmond, Virginia, to discuss your dispute resolution needs.

Our mediator services include:

Case Mediation Services: 

  • Intellectual property and vendor/client disputes involving technology issues:
  • Patent law
  • Trademark and copyright infringement
  • Trade secret misappropriation

He brings to the mediation process substantial experience in intellectual property (IP) and technology transactions and litigation and a personal commitment to work with the parties and their counsel as long as it takes for them to identify sensible, workable terms on which to resolve the dispute.

Early Neutral Evaluation and Resolution: In appropriate cases, Mr. McDaniel is available to provide all disputing parties a neutral evaluation of the parties' position in the dispute, with a focus on resolving the dispute before suit is filed or early in the litigation process. In this capacity, he can facilitate frank and open settlement discussions without compromising litigation counsel’s role as zealous advocate. The objective of early neutral evaluation is to help clients resolve disputes before investing significant amounts in litigation.

Discovery and Litigation Conflict Resolution: Discovery is, by far, the most expensive component of most commercial lawsuits. The procedures for resolving discovery disputes in court are cumbersome and largely ineffective. The result is that discovery is often includes a significant amount of irrelevant documents and information and lacks relevant and discoverable materials. Mr. McDaniel is available to mediate or arbitrate discovery and other routine conflicts that arise in complex litigation, thereby, providing the parties an accessible, low-cost and low-risk mechanism for resolving discovery conflicts and avoiding costly discovery motions.

Issues for summary judgment and trial: Mr. McDaniel also serves as a neutral mediator to help parties negotiate other potentially contentious issues such as negotiating fact stipulations and narrowing issues for summary judgment and trial. By serving in this capacity as the case progresses, Mr. McDaniel will be better situated to mediate a settlement of the case at the earliest opportunity.

Contact us to learn more about our mediator services.

October 5, 2010 - Mike Rothermel will speak at a seminar in Richmond, Practical Guide to Zoning and Land Use Law

August 20, 2010 - Michael Yager, a Legal Assistant in our Litigation Section, spoke at a NALA LIVE! presentation on electronic discovery, "E-Discovery - Slow Down the Train" 

August 5, 2010 - Four Spotts Fain lawyers named in Best Lawyers in America, Meade Spotts, Hugh Fain, Robert Chappell and Dana McDaniel.

August 2, 2010 - Spotts Fain attorney, Lee Stephens assisted clients with first Fort Pickett Army Compatible Use Buffer (ACUB) conservation easement held by a State agency.

July 28, 2010 - Lessons on Charitable Conservation Contributions from Schneidelman v. Commissioner, by Robert Allen and Lee Stephens.

July 2010 - Spotts Fain congratulates Brian Marron, who begins his term as President of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation.

July 9, 2010 - 'Much Ado About Nothing' - Bilski v. Kappos, by Bob Barrett.

June 23, 2010 - We are proud to announce that six Spotts Fain lawyers were named in the Virginia Super Lawyers list for 2010 and six named Virginia Rising Stars.

June 21, 2010 - Section 1031 Update - Exchange Facilitators Act is effective July 1, 2010, by John Anderson

June 19, 2010 - You may be required to notify your employees of their right to join a union, by Betsy Davis.

June 15, 2010 - Spotts Fain Creditors' Rights lawyers spoke at a Virginia Association of Community Banks Teleseminar on Bankruptcy and Collections

May 24, 2010 - Virginia Supreme Court Affirms Circuit Court Decision Confirming Arbitration Award in Dispute Involving a Limited Liability Company, by Andrew Oxenreiter and John Anderson.

May 18, 2010 - Health Care Reform - Priorities for Employers 2010 by Elliot Fitzgerald

May 13, 2010 - Mark With Care: The Rise of § 292 False Patent Marking Lawsuits, by Bob Barrett.

April 23, 2010 - Business people should be aware of the consequences for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA).

April 23, 2010 - Bob Barrett presented The $612.5 Million Question: How to protect your intellectual property at the Greater Richmond Chamber.

April 7, 2010 - The Spotts Fain Intellectual Property Team welcomes Bob Barrett to our growing practice group.

April 1, 2010 - We are very pleased to announce that Connell Mullins has been elected a shareholder of the firm and Deborah Fourness has been elected a director. 

January 27, 2010 - We are proud to announce that Spotts Fain Managing Director, Hugh M. Fain, III has been elected Chair of the Board of Governors of the Virginia Bar Association

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