How to Prepare for Mediation: A Practical Guide

Mediation is not a formal proceeding where the best-prepared lawyer wins on points. But preparation still matters — significantly. The parties who get the most out of mediation are typically those who have thought clearly about what they need, why the other side disagrees, and where genuine flexibility exists. This guide covers the practical steps.

Step 1: Clarify what you actually want

Before you walk into a mediation, answer these questions in writing:

• What is your ideal outcome? Not your opening position, but what a genuinely good result looks like.
• What is your minimum acceptable outcome? This is your walk-away point — the line below which you would prefer to take the matter elsewhere.
• Why is this dispute happening? Not just the legal or factual surface of it, but what is really driving it. A payment dispute may be about the money, but it may also be about a relationship that has broken down, or a sense that the other side acted in bad faith. Understanding the real driver often reveals what would actually resolve it.

These three questions separate preparation from performance — and the answers should be private (shared only with your lawyer if you have one, not announced as an opening position).

Step 2: Organise your documents

Bring documents that are relevant to the dispute. You do not need to present everything you have — in mediation, unlike litigation, you are not building an evidentiary record. Bring what helps establish the key facts and what you are owed (or what you dispute owing).

For a commercial dispute, this typically means:

• The contract or agreement at the centre of the dispute
• Correspondence that is directly relevant (emails, letters, notices)
• Invoices, delivery records, or evidence of the value in dispute
• Any prior settlement discussions (clearly marked as without prejudice, if applicable)

Organise them so you can find what you need quickly. A mediator does not expect or need a formal document bundle.

Step 3: Think about the other side

Effective mediation preparation is not one-sided. Spend time thinking about:

• What does the other party want? Not just their stated position but their underlying interest. Do they need money quickly? Are they trying to preserve their reputation? Do they want to continue the business relationship?
• Why do they believe they are right? Understanding their perspective — even if you disagree with it — is what lets you engage with it productively rather than simply repeating your own position louder.
• Where might they be flexible? Every party has things they care about more and less. If you can identify what matters most to them, you may be able to offer something that costs you little but moves them significantly.

Step 4: Know your BATNA

BATNA — your Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement — is what you will do if mediation fails. For most commercial disputes, the BATNA is litigation or arbitration. Knowing your BATNA realistically (including its cost, duration, and uncertainty) helps you evaluate whether a proposed settlement is actually better than your alternative.

Parties often overestimate how favourable their BATNA is. Legal proceedings are expensive, slow, and uncertain. A settlement that feels inadequate may be significantly better than years of litigation when you account for legal costs, management time, and the risk of an unfavourable outcome.

Step 5: What to expect on the day

A typical mediation session:

1. Opening. The mediator introduces themselves, explains the process and ground rules (confidentiality, voluntariness, the mediator's role), and gives each party an opportunity to make an opening statement.
2. Joint discussion. Both parties discuss the dispute with the mediator present, often with the mediator helping to reframe positions in terms of interests.
3. Caucuses. The mediator meets privately with each party to explore positions and options in more depth. Multiple caucuses are common.
4. Negotiation. The mediator helps the parties explore settlement options, often moving between joint sessions and caucuses as the negotiation develops.
5. Settlement or close. If the parties reach agreement, the terms are recorded in a written settlement agreement and signed. If not, the mediation concludes and each party is free to pursue other routes.

Practical tips

• Come with authority to settle. If you need to call someone for approval before agreeing, every step takes twice as long. Either come with authority, or ensure the person with authority is available by phone throughout.
• Bring patience. Mediation often takes longer than expected, and momentum can build slowly. Sessions that seem stuck in the afternoon often produce settlements by evening.
• Listen actively. You will learn things about what the other side actually wants that their pleadings and correspondence never disclosed. That information is valuable.
• Keep what's said in the room. The confidentiality of mediation works in both directions. What you hear in a caucus about the other side's position stays there.

If you have a lawyer

Your lawyer can accompany you (there is no right to exclude lawyers, though some mediators encourage parties to speak for themselves first). Lawyers who are experienced in mediation understand that the role in the room is different from the role in court — facilitating your client's communication rather than making forensic arguments. If your lawyer tends to turn every discussion into a legal submission, that may slow rather than help the process.