Mediating High Conflict Disputes

High conflict mediation requires a paradigm shift from traditional mediation—high conflict experts Bill Eddy and Michael Lomax show you how.

Over the past ten years, the authors have been developing and practising tips for managing high conflict clients in mediation, which is now a fully developed method called New Ways for Mediation. Mediating High Conflict Disputes provides all the little tips which any mediator can use, as well as the step-by-step structure of the New Ways for Mediation method for those who want to have better control of the process in high conflict cases—or any cases.

Bill Eddy is primarily a family mediator in San Diego, California, with a worldwide reputation for training mediators, lawyers, judges, and counsellors in methods for working with clients with "high conflict" personality disorders or traits. He is the recipient of the Academy of Professional Mediators Family Mediation Lifetime Achievement Award 2021.

Michael Lomax is a mediator dealing with family, workplace, military, and government agency disputes in British Columbia, Canada. Both have provided training in this method for High Conflict Institute over the past ten years.

This book is divided into three parts:

Part 1 provides a thorough explanation of the thinking and behaviour of parties with high conflict personalities, with an emphasis on what does not work and should be avoided.

Part 2 provides a detailed description of the New Ways for Mediation method, including several paradigm shifts in each step of the process for greater success. Its similarities and differences with interest-based negotiations and transformative mediation methods are explained.

Part 3 includes numerous examples describing cases with special issues in several settings, including family, workplace, and disputes involving government agencies.