top of page

Your Questions Answered
Frequently asked questions
General
Negotiation is focused advocacy—we represent your interests and work to secure the strongest possible outcome.
Mediation is neutral—we guide both parties through a structured process to reach agreement.
Both are designed to resolve issues efficiently—but they serve different roles depending on your situation.
Both mediation and negotiation are designed to help people resolve issues privately and respectfully.
The difference is that Alaska law treats each process a little differently.
Mediation offers a more structured confidentiality setting, especially when it is court-connected or court-ordered. Alaska Civil Rule 100 supports confidentiality in court-ordered mediation, and Alaska’s family mediation laws include added protections for divorce and custody matters under AS 25.24.060 and AS 25.20.080.
For private mediation, we use a signed mediation agreement that follows Alaska confidentiality standards as closely as the law allows.
Negotiation also allows parties to speak openly and work toward resolution. These discussions are often protected under Alaska Evidence Rule 408, which helps limit how settlement offers and compromise discussions may be used in court. Negotiation confidentiality is usually supported by written confidentiality terms.
In simple terms:
Confidentiality has legal limits. Alaska law may require disclosure in certain situations, such as threats of harm, reporting abuse or neglect, fraud, court orders, or enforcement of a signed agreement.
You are solely focused on “winning” at all costs
You are unwilling to engage in a structured process
You want to use negotiation or mediation purely to delay or pressure the other party
You are not open to practical, real-world outcomes
You expect guaranteed results regardless of circumstances
The matter requires immediate court intervention with no opportunity for resolution
bottom of page
