Alternative Dispute Resolution

Mediation

Building upon his thirty-plus years of representing clients in all manner of business, property and commercial disputes, Gary Leydig has expanded his practice to provide services as a mediator. Gary holds a Certificate in Mediation from the University of Chicago, Graham School, and has been certified as a mediator for the Circuit Court of Cook County Law Division Major Case Court-Annexed Civil Mediation Program. He is a member the American Bar Association and Illinois State Bar Association’s Sections on Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Arbitration

Gary is an arbitrator for business, commercial and property disputes, and is a member of the American Arbitration Association's Commercial Panel of Arbitrators.

How can a litigator be a “neutral”?

While Gary Leydig’s role as a neutral may seem in conflict with an adversarial litigation practice, it actually flows quite naturally from that practice. Gary’s wide-ranging commercial practice has resulted in him representing clients aligned on most sides of most disputes. He has seen, heard and analyzed most commercial disputes from all sides. One of the reasons for his success as a litigator has been his ability to objectively recognize the strengths and weaknesses in both his and his opponents’ cases. Being able to make these objective assessments, and being able to effectively articulate those assessments to his clients, has resulted in his cases being settled when they should be settled and tried to judgment when they should be tried. That same ability to understand, appreciate and communicate the complexities of law, fact and human emotion that are presented by adverse parties in a mediation session enables Gary to facilitate frank and productive settlement negotiations. The ability to honestly and objectively assess the merits of the facts and law in his own cases is equally effective when Gary is asked by the parties to an arbitration to hear and resolve their disputes.