A lawsuit can swallow years of your life, millions in reserves, and months of leadership attention, and still end with an outcome no one really likes. That’s why we sat down with Felicia Harris Hoss, a full-time independent commercial mediator and arbitrator and former trial partner, to talk about early dispute resolution and what changes when you stop treating mediation like a last-minute “settlement conference” and start using it as a structured process.

We dig into why so many cases still default to late-stage mediation, even as court backlogs push trial timelines from 18 to 24 months into the 3 to 5 year range. Felicia explains how her courtroom experience shapes her approach as a neutral, blending facilitative and evaluative techniques, asking the questions a mock juror might ask, and helping lawyers practice “quiet confidence” instead of reactive lawyering. We also talk about confidentiality in mediation and how a neutral can reduce the emotional friction and reactive devaluation that keep good ideas from landing.

Then we break down ABA Resolution 500 and why it’s a big moment for alternative dispute resolution, mediation, and arbitration. Felicia walks through the emerging EDR guidelines, including targeted information exchange, focused discovery planning, and decision-tree risk analysis that lets clients evaluate best case, worst case, and likely outcomes sooner. We also explore the business side: reputation, referrals, and creative fee structures that reward smart early resolution.

Reach Felicia here:
https://www.harrishosspllc.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/felicia-harris-hoss-52712a11/
https://www.facebook.com/HarrisHossPLLC
https://www.youtube.com/@harrishossmediationsarbitr5357

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Leadership In Law Podcast with host, Marilyn Jenkins
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