Volunteer mediator Maurice Attie emphasizes professionalism and practical resolution

Maurice J. Attie says one of the most rewarding aspects of mediation is helping people untangle problems that might otherwise consume years of litigation.

Attie practiced law in California from 1965 until 2001 before transitioning full time into work as a neutral through his firm, Peace Making Unlimited. Over the past two decades, he has mediated a wide range of disputes while also volunteering with the Los Angeles County Superior Court's Mediation Volunteer Panel, or MVP, a program created to help ease growing civil court caseloads by offering litigants access to free mediation services.

For Attie, the decision to volunteer with the court system stemmed from both professional and personal motivations.

"Three things," he wrote in response to questions from the Daily Journal. "A desire to give back to the community; promotion for my private practice as a neutral; [and] the joy it gives me to help unwind the parties' problems."

Attie's decades as a practicing attorney continue to shape how he approaches mediations today. Drawing on more than 30 years of litigation experience, he describes his style as both evaluative and facilitative, balancing practical assessments of legal risk with efforts to help parties communicate more productively.

"My more than three decades practicing law, the many matters that I have mediated and my own personal proclivities allow me to be evaluative as well as facilitative," he explained.

Although Attie noted there are significant differences between advocacy and mediation, he also sees a common thread connecting both roles.

"As an attorney, I seek to get the best result for my client," he wrote. "As a mediator, I seek to get the best result for all parties."

That broader focus on resolution, he said, depends heavily on professionalism and trust. Attie believes mediators establish credibility early in the process by remaining professional, following the rules and creating confidence that all parties will be treated fairly and respectfully.

One of the greatest challenges in mediation, according to Attie, arises when the person with ultimate settlement authority is absent from the negotiations. Without direct participation from decision-makers, meaningful progress can become much more difficult.

"When the ultimate decision maker is not present to experience the mediation process," he wrote, describing one of the most difficult obstacles mediators face.

Even after more than 20 years as a neutral, Attie said he continues to find satisfaction in helping litigants avoid prolonged disputes and reach workable solutions. Through the Los Angeles County Superior Court's volunteer mediation program, he said, mediators not only help litigants resolve cases earlier but also assist courts struggling under increasingly heavy civil caseloads.

Learn more about the Superior Court of Los Angeles County's Mediation Volunteer Panel and view mediator profiles at www.lacourt.ca.gov/ADR or scan the QR code. MVP mediators volunteer to coordinate and conduct three-hour mediations at no charge for cases referred by the court.