Are attorney mediators better suited to smaller law firms?

Via the National Arbitration Forum Blog comes an interesting article from Law.Com on attorney mediators being better suited to smaller law firms, in part because of the economics of an ADR practice.

In my experience the issue for a mediator embedded in a law firm is likely to be more around issues to do with;

> whether other firms in town are willing to utilise the services of a competitor to resolve their own clients' disputes,
>internal firm client conflicts,
>the ability to leverage the work down the food chain within an ADR practice group or team, and
>a dilution of the firm's litigation brand

... rather than hourly rates.