Arbitration & Mediation

Negotiating Women Do It Without Lawyers

By Victoria Pynchon

Oprah's settlement of the defamation action on the eve of trial reported here; the press release says:

"The two parties met woman to woman without their lawyers and are happy that they could resolve this dispute peacefully to their mutual satisfaction. Ms. Winfrey testified in her deposition that she did not intend the implications placed on her words by the plaintiff. Ms. Mzamane testified in her deposition that she has no evidence that Ms. Winfrey knowingly made a false statement about her or entertained serious doubt about the truth of what she said. We are pleased both parties have reached a conclusion."

Gee, do you think they could have settled it like that before all the legal folderol? Having spent 25 years of my life doing the legal folderol, I believe so.  (not to diminish the importance of a system that enforces the Rule of Law - just saying for an action like this one . . . . "girl talk" much more likely to resolve the matter). 

Full post as published by Settle It Now Negotiation Blog on March 23, 2010 (boomark / email).