Dispute Resolution -- Alternatives To Litigation

Godfrey & Lapuyade, P.C. provides a wide range of services related to Alternative Dispute Resolution, including representation of clients in mediation and arbitration.

Keith Lapuyade and Brett Godfrey also have served as mediators, drawing upon their decades of litigation experience and the mediation of hundreds of cases as counsel for parties, to effectively apply skills that provide a refreshing alternative to hiring retired judges, because we have not yet lost touch with the realities of client representation.

We also understand the mechanics of insurance coverage and how it is involved in the resolution of disputes, as well as the special concerns that accompany professional negligence claims. Both Mr. Lapuyade and Mr. Godfrey have been able to resolve disputes that appeared intractable, by using the powerful tool of communication and backing that up with analysis and understanding of what actually perpetuates conflict and feeds disagreement, which is (not surprisingly) a lack of communication and a resulting absense of mutual understanding between the parties. We resolve disputes by building agreement a little at a time, on a gradient basis, until the conflict can be brought to an end.

Mock Jury Trials, Focus Groups and Surrogate Opponents

Godfrey & Lapuyade, P.C. also provides a special group of services known as SOTSAE (Surrogate Opponent, Trial Simulation, Assessment and Evaluation), under which we work with you or your other firms to structure mock jury trials, develop case strategies and theories, and provide other pretrial case preparation consultation. Most of our clients in this category are other law firms that do not wish to retain us as active co-counsel but who desire nonetheless to avail themselves of a fresh and independent perspective and resources of an accomplished trial team with significant resources as they prepare larger cases for trial.

These services assist parties in preparing for, or following up after, mediation, in those cases in which dispute resolution dovetails with case preparation.