Since the eruption of the pandemic, our office has conducted most of our mediation services virtually. After a number of months, the question necessarily arises: Does it work? The answer is a resounding yes. Here are some of my takeaways.

Virtual meetings allow parties to avoid unnecessary exposure to public transportation, office buildings and conference rooms thick with people. You can participate in a virtual meeting from anywhere in the world. You do not have to incur the inconvenience of traveling or, perhaps more stressful, sitting in the same room as your spouse. You can be where you are most comfortable.

All our meetings are password-protected and hosted on Zoom’s secure meeting platform. This added security enhances free communication and, as I mentioned in a previous post, I have discovered the added benefit of being able to more closely observe facial expressions and the like. This added benefit allows me to more effectively mediate between the parties.

Whether Zoom will replace in-person meetings in the future I will leave to more futuristic minds. For myself, it has become a valuable tool.