Mediation Payment

• Payment is preferably due at the time of the Mediation/Arbitration. The balance, if any, will be billed to each party and is due within 15 days after the Mediation/Arbitration. Additional time may be billed after the Mediation/Arbitration if either party engages the Mediator/Arbitrator to continue his efforts (by telephone, e-mail, or otherwise) at reaching a resolution.
• Please make your check payable to David Thornton, PA. Our EIN is 82-3375199. Payment should be mailed to David Thornton, PA, 12161 Ken Adams Way, Suite 110 - F1, Wellington, Florida 33414.

Charges for Mediation & Arbitration

• All charges and costs (mediation/arbitration time, travel time, parking charges, room fees (if applicable) will be divided equally among the participants unless all participants agree to divide the charges differently. David Thornton, PA shall determine the number of participants to be charged if the parties cannot agree;
• Mediation time will be billed at $450.00 per hour, with no additional administrative fees. A minimum of two (2) hours will be charged for your mediation. However, if the parties expressly request that we set aside 4 hours or more, then a minimum of four (4) hours will be charged;
• In the event that an in-person mediation / arbitration is required, actual travel time for mediations / arbitrations physically taking place in locations other than Palm Beach County, will be billed at the reduced hourly rate of $400.00 per hour and any charges incurred to reserve conference room space will be passed on to the parties equally.
• Generally, we do not charge to review correspondence sent in advance of mediation. However, if you choose to send unusually voluminous materials for our review in preparation for mediation, we reserve the right to charge you for actual time spent reviewing such materials at $450.00 per hour.
• Arbitration services are billed at $450.00 per hour. This includes the Pre-Arbitration Conference, evidence review, discovery or other hearings, Arbitration Hearing and preparation of the Arbitration Award. There is no administrative fee or charge.
• Our mediation/arbitration services are provided to the attorneys and law firms who hire us, and they (not their clients) are responsible for payment of our invoices, as we have no way of verifying the credit-worthiness of the parties. The parties and their counsel agree that David Thornton, PA shall be entitled to recover all reasonable attorney’s fees and costs incurred in the collection of past-due balances (beyond 30 days).

Cancellation Policy / Charges

• WHETHER YOUR MEDIATION IS VOLUNTARY OR COURT ORDERED, MEDIATIONS CAN ONLY BE CANCELED, MODIFIED OR RESCHEDULED IF ALL PARTICIPANTS AGREE OR THE COURT SO ORDERS.
• No charges are incurred if your mediation/arbitration is rescheduled to a later date with our office regardless of the amount of notice you provide;
• The parties will be charged the applicable minimum time (2 or 4 hours) for all cancellations due to settlement (or otherwise cancelled without possibility of rescheduling with David Thornton, PA), when our office receives notice of cancellation less than seven (7) business days (Saturdays, Sundays and Holidays not included) before the scheduled mediation/arbitration, whether with or without cause. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT OTHER PARTIES HAVE TIMELY NOTIFIED US OF CANCELLATION. We encourage you to email david@davidthorntonpa.com, with a copy to all other parties to advise of cancellation in order to avoid any miscommunication.
• To further clarify, to avoid all unnecessary cancellation charges: Monday mediations must be cancelled by the end of the preceding Wednesday; Tuesday mediations must be cancelled by the end of the preceding Thursday; Wednesday mediations must be cancelled by the end of the preceding Friday; Thursday mediations must be cancelled by the end of the preceding Monday; and, Friday mediations must be cancelled by the end of the preceding Tuesday.

Special Needs

• In the event that any of the participants have special safety or health concerns, or other special needs, please advise our office prior to the date of mediation so that we have an opportunity to accommodate the needs of all concerned.

Voluntary Mediation & Confidentiality

• By your receipt and acceptance of a notice of mediation from David Thornton, PA, the participants agree and acknowledge that the mediation, whether presuit, voluntary, in-suit or court ordered, shall be subject to all statutes and rules with respect to mediator immunity and mediation confidentiality. In the event that the parties agree to allow non-parties to participate, such as consultants, public adjusters, etc., such non-party participants shall be bound by the same rules of confidentiality that govern the parties.