Mediation Fees for 2026

The fee for a half-day mediation is $1,100 per side and covers up to four hours of mediation time. The fee for a full-day mediation is $2,200 per side and covers up to seven hours of mediation time. One hour of the applicable session time is reserved for Mr. Buell's review of mediation briefs and for any pre-mediation telephone calls with counsel or the parties. Where one counsel represents more than one client, such clients are considered a single side. In cases involving three or more separate sides, each separate side is charged $275 per hour.

Each party participating in the mediation shares equally in the costs of the mediation, unless otherwise agreed by the parties and made known in writing to Mr. Buell. The applicable fee remains the same even if the mediation resolves or otherwise concludes in less than the allotted time. For half-day mediations that exceed four hours, or full-day mediations that exceed seven hours, the hourly rate applies.

Deposits must be made within thirty days of scheduling a mediation session or within twenty days of the mediation session, whichever comes first. If the required deposit is not received from each side at least fourteen days prior to the scheduled mediation session, Mr. Buell reserves the right to postpone the mediation session and reschedule it once all required deposits are received.

If a mediation session is canceled or postponed less than fourteen days before the scheduled date, the canceling party is charged a late cancellation fee of $1,100. If a mediation session is canceled or postponed less than seven days before the scheduled date, the canceling party is charged a late cancellation fee of $2,200. If a substitute mediation session can be scheduled for the same date, the late cancellation fee will not be charged. If there is a dispute among the parties as to which party caused the cancellation or postponement, the late cancellation fee is split equally among the parties.

There is no administrative or set-up fee, no charge for mileage or travel time within the Bay Area, and no charge for follow-up calls.