Preparing Clients for Mediation (especially over Zoom) — Benson Mediation, Arbitration, Workplace Investigation

Each month, I see the same pattern: clients who are well-prepared walk into mediation with confidence and clarity. Those who aren’t? They react emotionally, get distracted, or dig in their heels. As a mediator, I’ve learned that the single biggest predictor of a successful outcome is how well the lawyer has prepared their client for the mediation.

In today’s world, that includes preparing for a mediation to happen over Zoom. While the digital format offers convenience and efficiency, it also presents unique challenges. Clients need to be briefed on how to join the Zoom meeting, what they are going to see on their screen, how breakout rooms work, when to mute themselves, and how to stay visually engaged—because yes, body language still matters on camera. The mediator’s opening remarks are, in my view, a critically important first step in the mediation; they should not, however, be the first time your client hears about what mediation is all about.