Law Blog

Illinois’ own Abraham Lincoln is one of our nation’s most revered  presidents. However, before he made his legendary mark as leader of the  United States, he was establishing himself as a well-respected attorney  and experienced much success in his legal career. His influence lives on this day, specifically at the Sherwood Law Group. Lincoln’s influence is apparent in many facets of litigation and Sherwood Law Group has adopted many of his approached to benefit the client.

It is no secret that litigation can be a long and cumbersome process. Lincoln recognized this as well, reflecting in his notes that a good  lawyer should look for ways to resolve disputes before reaching trial.  As such, Sherwood’s attorneys frequently take advantage of alternative  dispute resolution methods in order to obtain swift and beneficial  results for clients.

Alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”) is a way to reference any method of resolving legal disputes outside of the traditional litigation process. Perhaps the two most well-known ADR methods are mediation and arbitration. Sherwood attorneys use these  formats to expedite and streamline the legal process. Immediately after  Sherwood attorneys are retained on the case, they evaluate the action,  collect materials and begin negotiations with opposing parties via a  prepared demand for settlement. The goal is to aggressively pursue a  settlement offer before formally filing a legal complaint. Recently, Matthew Saltzman, Senior Trial Attorney here at Sherwood Law Group, secured a settlement  on behalf of an individual injured on the premises of a major retail  store just a few months after the injury occurred, all without filing a  formal legal complaint. Mr. Saltzman was able to secure a settlement in  such a short amount of time because he diligently prepared the case,  communicated with the opposing party, and effectively fought on his  client’s behalf.

Even though Sherwood attorneys work to negotiate a settlement for  their clients as soon as possible, some opposing parties will  undoubtedly refuse to enter into a settlement agreement prior to the  filing of a legal complaint. In such situations, Sherwood attorneys will seek to utilize the aforementioned two most well-known ADR methods: mediation and arbitration.

Mediation is an informal, voluntary process by which a neutral  third-party facilitates a negotiation process between all of the  involved parties. The third-party, known as the “mediator,” typically  has experience in negotiation and helps the parties find common ground  and manage unrealistic expectations. It is much less expensive than the  traditional litigation process, and more efficient.

Arbitration, on the other hand, is a simplified version of a  courtroom trial. An arbitration panel, made up of one or multiple  arbitrators, will act in place of a judge and determine how the case  should be decided. Arbitrations typically feature streamlined rules to  in order to make the process quicker. Typically, arbitration proceedings are not made public. Clients who wish to keep their case private will  undoubtedly appreciate the discretion afforded by arbitration. The  Sherwood Law Group is no stranger to arbitrations and has secured quick  and substantial awards for clients in the process.

Abraham Lincoln believed that good lawyers are ones that are able to  efficiently and swiftly secure the result their client deserves. The attorneys at the Sherwood Law Group follow Lincoln’s example, and the results speak for themselves.  Traditional litigation may not be the most effective method for some  clients to receive the result they deserve. The Sherwood Law Group  recognizes that alternative dispute resolution has tremendous advantages for clients and is prepared to venture outside of the traditional  litigation system to secure the result that each client deserves.

In the event alternative dispute resolution does not work, Sherwood Law Group is in an even better position to take the case to trial because of their diligence in preparing mediation packets and moving  cases into a position of settlement early on in the case. This  expeditious approach to litigation also allows Sherwood Law Group to try cases in front of juries with favorable results.

Contact Sherwood Law Group today for your free consultation.