Miles Memoranda

Mon, Jan 8th, 2024 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Kelly K. James   Tom DeBari is the only neutral at Miles who includes a quote by Voltaire on his bio: “I’ve been ruined but twice in my life … Once when I lost …

Mon, Jan 8th, 2024 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

In this month’s Thoughts From the Top, we speak with John Miles, founder and chairman of Miles Mediation & Arbitration, about how 2023 unfolded.   Q: First, what made you choose to name Parag Shah …

Fri, Jan 5th, 2024 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Christopher “Smitty” Smith   What makes a good mediator? Patience. Listening skills. Negotiation skills. More patience. An ability to connect with different types of people from diverse backgrounds. And most of all, an ability …

Fri, Jan 5th, 2024 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Kelly K. James   The end of one year and the beginning of another is an excellent time to take stock, and to plan for a successful year. With that in mind, I’d like …

Fri, Jan 5th, 2024 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Kelly K. James   Supply chain issues. Labor shortages. A lack of qualified subcontractors. Even amid a building boom, the construction industry faces a number of challenges, many of which lead to legal disputes …

Tue, Dec 5th, 2023 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Kelly K. James   Christopher “Smitty” Smith didn’t intend to become a mediator — or even an attorney. A volcano changed all that.   “I was going to go to medical school and a …

Tue, Dec 5th, 2023 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Donna V. Smith   While there are certain elements present in every mediation, some types of cases are unique. A wage-hour collective or class action breaks the typical mediation paradigm. In most employment law-based …

Tue, Dec 5th, 2023 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Jennifer Grippa   Arbitration is a commonly used alternative dispute resolution process where parties involved in a legal dispute contract for a private and more expedient approach to resolve their issues. When arbitrating a …

Mon, Dec 4th, 2023 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Drew Lewis   Premises liability cases are a common part of most plaintiff’s lawyer’s practices, with slip-and-fall claims typically making up a sizeable number of cases. As a longtime Florida defense attorney, and a …

Fri, Dec 1st, 2023 | by Miles Mediation and Arbitration

By Blane McCarthy   The goal of mediation is to settle a claim or lawsuit. However, there is an important element of mediation that should never be overlooked — creating, and signing, the mediation agreement …