Personal injury lawyers describe Patricia Prince as "efficient, practical, experienced in litigation and resolution," able "to spot those issues that will control the outcome of a case..." and as "effective, persistent, reasonable, [and] fair."
Resolving Litigated or Pre–Litigation Cases
Ms. Prince has been mediating personal injury cases for well over a decade.
Personal Injury Cases
- Ms. Prince mediates automobile, motorcycle and pedestrian–automobile personal injury cases
Premises Liability Cases
- Ms. Prince mediates premises liability cases, including slip and fall cases, trip and fall cases, and construction accidents against private and public entities
Solving the Problem
Ms. Prince naturally enjoys people and easily establishes rapport with both parties and counsel, she is adept at identifying key issues and interests, and she is persistent in helping parties reach resolution.
Pre–session Preparation
- Solving the problem in a personal injury dispute begins before the commencement of the mediation session with a careful review of mediation statements prepared by counsel for the parties and a pre–mediation session telephone conference with counsel to discuss the most efficacious mediation process for the dispute, to identify key factors that counsel and the parties believe may positively or negatively affect settlement prospects, and to hone in on case dynamics.
Tools and Techniques
- Ms. Prince has developed additional tools to assist counsel and the parties prior to the mediation session, including a questionnaire counsel may use to assist their clients in prioritizing their interests and in gaining a better overt appreciation of the opposing side′s interests prior to the mediation session. These tools and techniques help counsel and the parties prepare more effectively prior to the mediation session, which typically results in a more efficient session.
Curiosity, Empathy and Focus on Resolution
- Ms. Prince listens carefully with curiosity and empathy for case themes and to understand the perspective of all parties of the dispute. She works closely with counsel to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each side′’s case; she helps the parties identify and prioritize their interests; and she keeps the parties focused on resolution as they negotiate, using her significant ADR experience to move the parties through impasse to settlement.
Overcoming Cultural Obstacles to Resolution
Ms. Prince has significant expertise resolving disputes involving cross–cultural disputants.
Fluent in Spanish
- Ms. Prince is fluent in Spanish and is particularly effective at building bridges in cases in which the approach to negotiation and conflict resolution of differing cultures may be exacerbating the dispute.
Cultural Fluency
- Her language skills and cultural fluency have proven invaluable in establishing the trust necessary to successfully resolve seemingly intractable disputes among parties from different cultures.
Through her active mediation practice, study and teaching, Ms. Prince is continually deepening her international perspective and cultural competencies. These skills have been called upon with increased frequency.