Mediation Rates Appropriate for Small & Medium Cases, and Pre-Litigation Mediations Required by Real Estate & Other Contracts
Peter Lesser's rate for mediation and arbitration services is $350 per hour. Peter does not charge any administrative, case management or travel fees.
For 2020, half-day and full-day mediations may be scheduled on a pre-paid basis as follows:
Half-Day Mediationis available for $1,750. This includes a detailed review of mediation briefs and exhibits; approximately 3.5 hours of meeting time with the parties and counsel; and reasonable follow-up by email or phone, if necessary.
Full-Day Mediationis available for $2,500. This includes a detailed review of mediation briefs and exhibits; approximately 7.0 hours of meeting time with the parties and counsel; and reasonable follow-up by email or phone, if necessary.
Additional meeting time, or substantial follow-up time, will be invoiced at $350 per hour, and is payable upon receipt. Arbitration services are handled on a case-by-case basis.
Meeting Locations: Peter conducts mediations at attorneys' offices throughout Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, with no travel charges. If possible, please have a separate meeting room available for each party, or group of parties.
Mediations and arbitrations may also be conducted at Peter's offices in West Los Angeles, subject to conference room availability. Groups of most sizes can be accommodated. Please note that modest additional meeting room charges may apply. Sorry, Peter cannot validate parking.
Pre-Payment of All Mediations: Peter's mediation rates are premised on the pre-payment of his professional fees by each party at least three days prior to each meeting. Counsel are responsible for determining how many parties will be sharing the fees, and whether the fees will be paid by the law firm, the client or the insurer; please communicate this information to Peter by email.
Participation by Videoconference, Phone & Fax: Peter understands that, in many cases, parties, witnesses and/or insurance company representatives cannot attend in person, and must participate via videoconference or by phone. Peter works well in this context; indeed, Peter has mediated and settled a number of cases entirely by phone. In these cases, all necessary parties must remain available on hard-line telephones, and must have the ability to receive, sign and transmit hard-copy faxes, throughout the scheduled meeting time. Mediations involving insurance carriers based on the East Coast should begin in the morning, and conclude no later than 2:00 pm PST.
Mediation Briefs & Exhibits: Peter appreciates receiving mediation briefs and copies of key exhibits (and studies them closely), but he does not require them. For cases in which preparation of a brief would present a financial hardship for the client, or is otherwise impracticable, Peter is happy to learn about that party's position orally at the beginning of the mediation.
Please transmit mediation briefs and exhibits by email attachment to Peter@PeterLesser.com, or by fax/Efax to 866-225-4573 (no cover sheet required) by 1:00 pm on the day prior to the meeting; please do not mail or overnight the briefs to Peter's office without first advising Peter. Please do not bring a previously-untransmitted brief to the mediation itself, as Peter will not have the time or ability to review it at this stage.
Please feel free to contact Peter for additional information at 310-470-6090, or Peter@PeterLesser.com.