Arbitration and Mediation Rates to Increase in 2018

I will be raising my rates for all services, beginning with selections made after January 1, 2018. The reason for this is twofold. One, I have not raised my rates since I opened my arbitration practice in 2012. Two, I have been notified that I will be accepted into the National Academy of Arbitrators. I bring to the table more experience as an arbitrator than I did when I first launched my practice.

Up until this point, I have not charged for travel time. However, as my practice has expanded beyond the greater San Francisco Bay Area, I have become aware that I need to add a travel time charge, as most arbitrators do, for hearings that are farther afield. My travel time charges will be the equivalent of half my hearing per diem.

One aspect of my rate structure I have carried over is my commitment to provide financial incentives for parties to settle their disputes prior to hearing. As such, my cancellation fee will remain at half the cost of going forward with the hearing.

I am well aware of the limited resources that employers and unions have available for labor arbitration and mediation. My goal over the years has been to make my services affordable. On the other hand, I also believe that arbitration and mediation are vital components of a robust and dynamic labor-management relationship. As such, time and money spent on retaining neutral arbitrators and mediators can add tremendous value. My rate structure attempts to balance those factors.

If you have any questions about my new rates, feel free to ask. - Paul