Mediating a complex, multi-party case is a lot like baking a cake. It's not enough to have the right ingredients. You need to observe careful direction and patience to blend the ingredients in the right quantities and at the just the right time to produce...
We're excited to let you know that registration for Vancestock XII is now open. Vancestock XII is a special musical event and annual fundraiser for Trails Youth Initiatives. We ask that you take a moment to add Friday, September 29, 2023 to your calendars and save the date for...
From beginning to end, taking part in a civil lawsuit can be similar to competing in a grueling marathon. Prior to attending mediation, the parties have likely spent several years in litigation. Throughout this period, they have spent money and expended energy to strengthen their...
If two is company, three is a crowd, and four is a party, what is more than a dozen? The answer, as I recently learned when conducting a multi-party mediation for a complex claim, is that more than a dozen is a challenge (and that...
It’s been said that there are no traffic jams on the extra mile. Putting in a little more effort in what we are doing is rarely a big sacrifice, and yet it can pay huge dividends. Consider the benefits of holding a pre-mediation caucus, for...
You’ve heard that time flies when you’re having fun. Well, time also apparently flies when you’re facilitating meaningful discussions that bring parties in conflict together with the aim of finding a mutually agreeable resolution. Granted, it doesn’t roll off the tongue quite as easily. It’s hard...
Cooper Mediation is pleased to announce that senior mediator and principal Vance Cooper has been honoured with the Ontario Bar Association’s Award Of Excellence For Alternative Dispute Resolution. The ADR Award of Excellence recognizes exceptional contributions and/or achievements in Alternative Dispute Resolution. Cooper Mediation and the...
Our minds can play some pretty neat tricks on us. For example, are you able to raed tihs setnence? If you are, your mind likely used the context of the first and last letters in words to automatically and subconsciously jump to conclusions about what...
“Read the room!” Have you ever heard that phrase? When you enter a space, even without hearing a single word spoken, most people will get a sense of what people are feeling just by surveying the faces and body language of people present. It’s a good...
You’ve heard the old saying: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Did you know there was more to that story? One day, that fisherman had to move...