The coronavirus has led to millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths across the United States. It has also caused significant effects in other realms, including disrupting the economy and leading to millions of workers laid off. While mediation has been around for a long time, the current pandemic highlights its usefulness, especially in the following three areas:

Family Disputes
Not long after the pandemic was underway in the United States, family lawyers across the country started receiving more calls from parents who were struggling to co-parent during this unprecedented time. Many courts around the country closed in response to concerns about the virus, so many were left with little guidance on how to deal with a situation not contemplated when their custody order was put in place.

Mediation is particularly effective in resolving family disputes because it gets the parties to work together toward a shared mutual goal. The parties can consider arrangements that work best for their family without the intervention or reliance on the family court system. Because the parties helped to put the arrangements in place, they are more likely to adhere to the terms of the agreement.

Employment Disputes
The coronavirus has led to massive layoffs. An important social movement has also coincided during this time, resulting in the demand for equal pay and social justice. Employers have had to make difficult decisions in the last few months.

Employment disputes may be resolved through mediation. The parties can come up with creative solutions to their problems and also discuss their concerns in a safe forum.

Contract Disputes
Many contracts did not anticipate the issues surrounding coronavirus. Parties may be carefully reviewing their force majeure clauses. A knowledgeable mediator can discuss how courts have recently ruled on these issues and explain the benefits of keeping the case out of court to provide greater certainty and control over the outcome.