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Marilynn SchuylerSchuyler Affirmative Affiliation Practice

Services

Mediation that ends the dispute in a day.

A neutral third party, a confidential room, and a written agreement you both had a hand in writing. No filings, no discovery, no verdict handed down by someone who met you an hour ago.

Home Mediation

Practice areas

Workplace & Employment

Discrimination and harassment complaints, accommodation disputes, manager–employee conflict, and internal grievances resolved before they become litigation or an agency charge.

Family, Civil & Relationship Disputes

Separation, co-parenting, estate, and neighbor disputes, mediated with the privacy and pace that courtrooms cannot offer.

EEO & Regulatory Conflict

Disputes with an equal-employment or civil-rights dimension, handled by a neutral who spent over a decade representing both plaintiffs and defendants, as well as serving as a mediator.

Business & Contract

Partnership breakdowns, vendor and contract disagreements, and commercial disputes where both sides want the relationship, or at least the money, preserved.

Mediation vs. litigation

MediationLitigation
TimelineWeeksOne to three years
Typical costHourly, usually sharedSix figures per side
Who decidesThe partiesA judge or jury
Public recordNoneFilings are public
RelationshipOften preservedUsually over

Common questions

Is mediation binding?
The process is voluntary, but the agreement you sign at the end is a contract and is enforceable. Nobody is forced into a settlement; you can end the session at any point.
Is it confidential?
Yes. Statements made in mediation are generally protected from disclosure in later proceedings, and no public record is created. That protection is one of the main reasons parties choose it.
Do we each need a lawyer?
Not required, and many parties mediate without counsel. If lawyers are already involved, they are welcome in the session. As the mediator I am neutral and do not represent either side.
How long does it take?
Most disputes are scheduled within two to three weeks, and most mediations are resolved within two hours. Complex multi-party matters sometimes need longer or a second session.
What does it cost?
I charge an hourly fee, typically split between the parties. You get the rate upfront, before you commit, and most matters resolve in a single session.
Can we do it remotely?
Yes. Video mediation works well and removes travel cost and scheduling friction, particularly for parties in different states.

Tell me what the dispute is about.

A first conversation costs nothing and is confidential. If mediation is not the right fit, I will say so.