Mediation

Since 2002 Howard Weber has been a Florida Certified Circuit and County Court Mediator, specializing in the settlement of insurance disputes. Mediations may be scheduled in any of the office locations in the counties listed below, or at the office of one of the lawyers or another agreed location.

Charges: For Hillsborough, Pinellas Counties and Polk Counties, $250.00 per hour to be split, unless otherwise agreed, among the parties* to the mediation. All other counties, $300.00 per hour. A two hour minimum charge applies to all mediations. Cancellation Policy: A charge of $250.00 cancellation fee will be assessed for any mediation cancelled within less than one business day of the scheduled mediation. Travel: No charge.

All insurance pre-suit mediations held in our Tampa office will be billed at $150.00/hr., for a two hour minimum conference.  "Global"/"Multiple Competing" claims, or any other pre-litigation mediations will be billed at this lower rate.  Scheduling must be via the online calendar.  Please state the number of claimants attending, and whether they are represented by counsel. (If the number of competing or claimnig parties are represented by more than four attorneys/law firms, the rate for mediation remains $250.00/hr.)

“parties” does not include consortium claimants/plaintiffs, but do include any insurers represented at the mediation, whether with excess layers of coverage or pro-rata insurance coverage.

Availability: Search available dates via the online calendar:

Please complete the online information form and send it to us. We will contact you to confirm the mediation and block our calendar accordingly. No mediation is officially scheduled, and our calendar blocked until you receive an engagement letter from our office.

Mediations are generally booked for two hours, and scheduled to begin at 9:00AM and 1:30PM, unless another start time is requested and available. If you believe your mediation will last more than three (3) hours, please let us know at the time of booking, so that we can reserve the appropriate amount of time.

Location Information and Maps:

• Hillsborough (Tampa) - map
• Pinellas (St. Petersburg) map (Clearwater) - map
• Pasco (New Port Richey) - map
• Hernando (Brooksville) - map
• Manatee (Bradenton) - map
• Sarasota (Sarasota) - map
• Sarasota (Venice) - map

Mediation is the formal settlement conference mandated by most Florida Circuit Courts before a case is allowed to proceed to a trial. Mediation, if successful, saves all parties a the time and expense involved in further litigation. For over a decade, the courts of Florida have fully embraced the concept of requiring litigants to attend at least one mediation conference prior to allowing them to present their case in court (to a judge or jury). (Of course, parties may file a motion with the court to request any required mediation be dispensed with, where there are reasons for not conducting a mediation in the particular case.