Our Expertise
Manning Fulton litigation attorneys are very familiar with mediations and arbitrations. We understand the strategic opportunities presented by alternative dispute resolutions (ADR), as well as the fact that appropriate preparation for mediation or arbitration is critical to making the most of those opportunities. ADR can be extremely effective, less costly than litigation, and is often a preferred alternative to lawsuits and lengthy, public courtroom proceedings.
Our firm has been a leader in establishing ADR in North Carolina. The seeds of North Carolina’s ADR revolution were first sown by one of our firm’s founding members, Charles Fulton. When Charlie was President of the North Carolina Bar Association in 1983-1984, he headed a task force to examine various methods of ADR throughout the country and to discuss implementation of those mechanisms in our state. An ADR program was formally begun in the early 1990s, and today ADR is flourishing in North Carolina.
Mike Medford, John McMillan, and Rob Shields are among a number of Manning Fulton lawyers who are certified as Superior Court mediators. Each has successfully completed the extensive training required for certification by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission and serve as mediators throughout the state. Our certified mediators apply their skills both to court-ordered proceedings and to other forms of ADR.
Manning Fulton’s trial lawyers know the most appropriate and effective strategies to follow to advance or to defend your interests in litigation. When arbitration or mediation will produce the best results for you, we have the knowledge and experience to focus on what matters. That experience is also what provides our certified Superior Court mediators the ability to facilitate discussion, explore the strengths and weaknesses of the respective positions, and through impartiality, objectivity, and the ability to negotiate, we can help create a path that leads to a satisfying resolution.
