Mediation scores a goal at the world cup
The US Women’s Soccer Team is fighting (and winning) two battles right now: in France they are running and kicking a soccer ball with the most elite female players from around the world*; and in federal court in LA they are suing the US Soccer Federation for paying them less than the men’s team and providing inferior training and facilities. Last Friday, both sides to the lawsuit announced they would use mediation to resolve the dispute. (No mention was made of who the mediator will be, but yours truly is offering her mediator services!) This is dramatic and so encouraging to all of us who practice mediation or just love women’s sports. Mediation is perfect for this unique situation. It can move super-fast (I once mediated a construction case quickly to meet a construction/delivery schedule) or stay the lawsuit and its onerous discovery while the parties explore settlement. In this case, discovery is an explosive issue. The Soccer Federation had refused to turn o