Seattle Employment Mediator and Dispute Arbitrator Stephen Teller

As an experienced attorney recognized by the employment bar, Seattle employment mediator and arbitrator Stephen Teller assists legal counsel in both employment and non-employment related mediation, and provides arbitration services to attorneys seeking a non-judicial resolution to litigation.

In addition to his years of legal practice, Steve offers a unique perspective and mediation approach gained through undergraduate and graduate degrees in psychology, law school mediation training, and serving as a clinical practitioner for community disputes.  He is also on the list of Federal Rule 39.1 mediators.

Steve’s Approach to Mediation

Steve brings years of subject-matter knowledge and practice to employment law and personal injury mediations, and provides creative insight into all types of mediations concerning the roadblocks and avenues for breakthrough that are important to achieving resolution.

While key settlement roadblocks are often monetarily-based, frequently there are psychological barriers that need to be identified and overcome, including the psychological goal to “move on” with a matter.

For instance, those injured may be focused on wanting the pain to go away, which a monetary settlement cannot cure.  They may also try to equate a settlement with a choice of whether they would “buy” the pain for the money being offered, which also is usually not productive for settlement purposes.

Personal injury defendants and insurance representatives may have internal hurdles regarding accountability to superiors for agreeing to settlements at certain dollar limits.  They will likely be assessing litigation costs going forward, and the risk of a high verdict at trial.

Similarly, hurdles to employment matters and even commercial disputes may hinge more on internal roadblocks of the litigants rather than a focus on what is required to achieve a settlement.  Sometimes, the roadblocks are personal, such as equating a settlement with doing something wrong, or personal ill feelings toward the opposing party.

Steve provides neutral, objective-based insight directed to identifying and overcoming psychological settlement hurdles, and to helping legal counsel by providing an unbiased view of their case. Then, Steve assists legal counsel in developing creative solutions, when possible, and using various settlement techniques to help promote resolution.

Arbitration

Steve provides arbitration services in helping counsel and their clients seek a swift conclusion for their matter.  Steve is on the arbitration panel for King, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties, and accepts cases involving personal injury, employment, and commercial litigation matters.