Arbitration & Mediation

A New Negotiation Blog - The Critical Path - Takes Flight

By Victoria Pynchon

Litigating and trying complex construction disputes requires visionary strategic talent; incisive tactical skill; wise management abilities; and, dogged persistence.  Now construction litigator, trial attorney and mediator Ron White brings those qualities to the settlement of complex construction disputes with his newly launched blog, The Critical Path, Tools for Resolving Construction Disputes.

Take a look at Ron's most recent post, Negotiations and the Samurai Code:  Seven Habits of Highly Successful Negotiators.

I especially like the opening "habit" - vision. Below is an excerpt, but you'll want to stroll on over to Ron's new shop to check out the entire post.  While you're there, welcome Ron to the ADR and Construction Law Blogosphere.  I long ago told him that we're like a small town in Iowa where people still leave their doors open and the welcome wagon arrives with lists of local services; good advice; and, baked goods. Don't make a liar out of me!

"A successful negotiator," Ron writes

has outstanding vision; he sees both the strengths and weaknesses of his case. He has the capacity to look beyond the narrow focus of advocacy and peer into the broad spectrum of possible outcomes through the eyes of the judge or the jury. He meticulously evaluates the law and facts advocated by his opponent, knowing, as did the samurai, that 'You must understand the conditions on the opposite shore to comprehend your side of the river.' This perspective minimizes negotiating mistakes, which, studies have shown, occur more frequently with plaintiffs, but that when defendants do make them, they are really big mistakes resulting in awards much higher than plaintiff's last pre-trial settlement offer.

Full post as published by Settle It Now Negotiation Blog on March 16, 2010 (boomark / email).