Mediating High Conflict Disputes: A Breakthrough Approach With Tips and Tools and the New Ways for Meditation Method

High conflict mediation requires a paradigm shift from traditional mediation—high conflict experts Bill Eddy and Michael Lomax show you how.

Over the past ten years the authors have been developing and practicing tips for managing high conflict clients in mediation, which is now a fully developed new method called New Ways for Mediation®. Mediating High Conflict Disputes gives all of the little tips which any mediator can use, as well as the step-by-step structure of the New Ways for Mediation method for those who want to have better control of the process in high conflict cases—or any cases.

Bill Eddy is primarily a family mediator in San Diego, California, with a worldwide reputation for training mediators, lawyers, judges and counselors in methods for working with clients with “high conflict” personality disorders or traits. He is the recipient of the Academy of Professional Mediatiors Family Mediation Lifetime Achievement Award 2021.

Michael Lomax is a mediator dealing with family, workplace, military and government agency disputes in British Columbia, Canada. Both have provided training in this method for High Conflict Institute over the past ten years.

This book is divided into three parts:

Part 1 provides a thorough explanation of the thinking and behavior of parties with high conflict personalities, with an emphasis on what does not work and should be avoided.

Part 2 provides a detailed description of the New Ways for Mediation method, including several paradigm shifts in each step of the process for greater success. Its similarities and differences with interest-based negotiations and transformative mediation methods are explained.

Part 3 includes numerous examples describing cases with special issues in several settings, including family, workplace, and disputes involving government agencies.

Bill Eddy is the co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer of the High Conflict Institute. He pioneered the High Conflict Personality Theory (HCP) and has become an expert on managing disputes involving people with high conflict personalities. He was the Senior Family Mediator at the National Conflict Resolution Center for 15 years, a Certified Family Law Specialist lawyer representing clients in family court for 15 years, and a Licensed Clinical Social Worker therapist with twelve years’ experience. Bill is the recipient of the 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Professional Family Mediators.

p>He serves on the faculty of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law in California and is a Conjoint Associate Professor with the University of Newcastle Law School in Australia. He has been a speaker and trainer in over 30 U.S. states and 10 countries and is the author or co-author of twenty books and has a popular blog on the Psychology Today website with several million views. www.HighConflictInstitute.com

Michael Lomax, JD is a lawyer by profession, mediator, and an international speaker/trainer. He practiced family law for over 20 years and early in his career, ceased his court practice to focus on mediation and collaborative law. Michael has conducted hundreds of mediations including family, workplace, multi-party, and court-related matters. He has significant experience leading the design and implementation of workplace conflict management programs for large organizations. Michael has developed training for government, law firms, corporations, military, law enforcement, human resources, and unions. He has been an Associate Speaker/Trainer with High Conflict Institute since 2011 and lives on Vancouver Island in Canada.