International Mediation Lawyers Worldwide.

The fundamental difference lies in who controls the outcome: the parties or a third party. In International Arbitration, an arbitrator acts like a private judge, hearing evidence and issuing a binding decision that you must follow, whether you like it or not. In International Mediation, a neutral facilitator helps the parties negotiate a voluntary settlement, but they have no power to impose a decision; if you don't agree to the terms, you can simply walk away. While arbitration is adversarial and focuses on legal rights, mediation is collaborative and focuses on commercial interests and preserving relationships.