Hal Wotitzky, Esq.

Hal Wotitzky has been a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator since 1994 and has mediated over 4000 disputes. He has been approved as a Primary Trainer by the Florida Supreme Court for the circuit mediation training program and has conducted several trainings. Hire Hal Wotitzky for your next mediation, because experience does matter!

CALENDAR

Scheduling mediations is done easily on the below calendar. Simply click on the date you want to reserve and a mediation request form will appear. Complete the form and click submit. If you want to start your mediation at a time other than 9:00 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., or are requesting the half or full day rate please indicate same on the intake form in the section titled: ‘Notes to Mediator’.

For in-person mediations, please contact my case manager, Maria MacKay, directly to coordinate availability. She will answer questions or assist with either virtual or in-person bookings.

Email Maria: casemanager@wotitzkymediation.com

Office: 941.236.5728

FEE SCHEDULE

Mediation fees depend on whether the session is held via Zoom or in person. Zoom mediations are billed at an hourly rate; in-person mediations are billed at a flat rate.

Zoom Mediation Fee

2 PARTIES – $225.00 per hour, per party
3 PARTIES – $175.00 per hour, per party
4 PARTIES – $140.00 per hour, per party
5 PARTIES OR MORE – $125.00 per hour, per party

Zoom mediations carry a minimum fee of three (3) hours for a half day and six (6) hours for a full day.

In-Person Mediation Fee

HALF DAY – $2,500.00 flat rate, divided equally
FULL DAY – $4,500.00 flat rate, divided equally

In-person mediations carry a minimum fee of four (4) hours for a half day, and eight (8) hours for a full day.

A “party” is one or more persons or entities with a common interest, represented by the same attorney or firm.

Preparation Time

Mediator preparation time is billed at $450 per hour, split equally among the parties.

If a mediation is cancelled, postponed or rescheduled less than seven (7) business days before the session, a flat cancellation fee applies, split equally among all parties:

HALF DAY – $1,250.00
FULL DAY – $2,500.00

All cancellations must be made in writing. Where circumstances are beyond a party’s reasonable control, the fee may be reduced or waived at discretion. A settlement reached after the cancellation deadline does not automatically waive the fee.

  • Fees are due at the conclusion of the mediation unless otherwise agreed.
  • Most forms of payment are accepted, including credit and debit cards.
  • If payment isn’t made at the session, each party will be invoiced for its share, and invoices are due upon receipt.
  • When a party is self-represented, a deposit invoice for the minimum fee is sent at scheduling and is due seven (7) business days before the mediation.

Commercial

Civil

PRACTICE AREAS

While Hal mediates a wide variety of civil disputes, the majority of his practice is in the areas of:

  • Insurance Coverage

  • Commercial Disputes

Hal also has extensive experience mediating matters involving:

  • HOA & Condominium Disputes

  • Construction Disputes

  • Business Disputes

  • Business Torts

  • Negligence and intentional torts

  • Real Estate Brokerage Disputes

  • Probate, Estate & Trust Disputes

  • Trade Secrets

  • Personal Injury

  • Copyright & Trademark Disputes

  • Employment Discrimination Disputes

  • Admiralty

  • Wrongful Death

  • Corporate & Partnership disputes and Dissolutions

  • Eminent Domain

Types Of Issues That Wotitzky Mediation Resolves

Mediation is often successful when the parties have a vested interest in maintaining a positive relationship with each other, such as business partners. Commercial mediation is an effective way to resolve disputes and avoid costly and time-consuming litigation. Wotitzky Mediation can resolve the following types of issues:

Breaches of Contract

Many contract problems arise because of a misunderstanding regarding the contract terms or because of unforeseeable events that arose and affected the contract.  Commercial mediation allows the parties to communicate openly to resolve misunderstandings.  The parties can brainstorm creative solutions to the problem, which may include:

  • Modifying the contract
  • Terminating the contract
  • Entering into a new contract
  • Agreeing to do subsequent business together
  • Agreeing on using particular vendors or subcontractors
  • Reducing or increasing the price of a contract

Our experienced mediator can guide you during mediation to determine your underlying interests and how you can resolve issues in the most cost-effective manner possible.

Business Disputes

Businesses deal with a variety of people and entities every day, including partners, shareholders, executives, other businesses, vendors, clients and customers.  Disputes can arise with any of these parties.  Commercial mediation can provide a setting that emphasizes cooperation and a willingness to work together to resolve a common problem.  Additionally, mediation provides a private forum for the parties to resolve disputes, so they do not need to worry about negative publicity.

Real Property Disputes

Disputes may arise during the valuation or the real property transaction.  An experienced mediator can help parties resolve these disputes while keeping the contract alive.  Issues that can be resolved through commercial real property mediation include:

  • Repair and inspection problems
  • Costs for unexpected repairs or renovations
  • Environmental issues
  • Claims of misrepresentation regarding the condition of the property
  • Valuation or appraisal issues

Commercial Mortgage Foreclosures

If a business has suffered a decline or otherwise encountered financial issues that have caused the business owner to get behind on the mortgage, mediation may be able to prevent a foreclosure.  The business may be able to restructure its loan to make more manageable payments.

Eminent Domain Issues

When your property is taken for public use, you have the right to be compensated for the fair value of your property.  However, disputes may arise when there is a disagreement about the value of the property.  Mediation can help resolve this issue without having to resort to the courts.

First-Party Insurance Claims

Businesses that must make claims on their own insurance may encounter issues with whether the incident is covered under the business insurance and the value of the claim.  The parties can engage in confidential mediation to resolve these issues in an expedited manner that does not rely on clogged court dockets.

Business Torts

Businesses may accuse of various misconduct that falls under the umbrella of business torts, such as tortious interference with a contract or business relations, unfair competition or fraud.  A neutral and unbiased mediator can help parties reach a mutually satisfactory agreement while saving them time and money.

TESTIMONIALS

“I’m very thankful for all your help, experience and ability to get us through this difficult time and for the money we saved!!!! Mediation is definitely the way to go if at all possible and Hal Wotitzky is the best and highly recommended.”

~JS
“He is kind, knowledgeable and courteous – and highly successful in resolving litigated matters.”
~Sole Practitioner
“Hal Wotitzky is the best mediator I know, as well as extremely ethical and personable. He should be given the highest possible rating.”
~Managing Partner
“Mr. Wotitzky is an excellent mediator who gets right to the heart of the matter. He has successfully resolved many difficult cases in situations where I thought a settlement would not be possible. I strongly endorse Mr. Wotitzky.”
~Partner
“Mr. Wotitzky is an outstanding mediator. His skill level is superb. He not only teaches mediation skills to others, he constantly researches, reads and attends seminars to improve his own skill. Additionally, he supports new mediators and is always willing to mentor.”
~Partner
National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
Martindale Hubbell
AV Preeminent
AV Preeminent