When the Federal Government Needed the Best Mediator in America, They Called Alternative Law

The Phone Call That Changed Everything

In the late 1990s, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was facing a problem that no federal agency wanted to admit publicly: its internal dispute resolution system was overwhelmed, adversarial, and producing outcomes that satisfied almost no one — not the employees who filed complaints, and not the agencies and employers named in them.

The EEOC’s solution was to design something new — a voluntary, structured mediation program called RESOLVE that would offer both employees and employers an alternative to the formal EEO complaint process. The goal was faster resolution, lower cost, and — critically — outcomes that parties actually accepted rather than merely endured.

To run the program, the EEOC searched the entire country for the most qualified mediation firms. Out of every mediation practice in America, they selected two. Alternative Law was one of them.

What Happened Next Is the Credential That Matters

Being selected was significant. What Alternative Law did with that selection set the firm apart entirely.

Over the course of the RESOLVE program’s first year, Alternative Law’s mediators resolved every single case assigned to them — a 100% resolution rate on one of the most challenging types of disputes in professional practice: federal employment discrimination complaints between government employees and the agencies that employed them. These were not simple cases. They involved parties with significant legal representation, deeply entrenched positions, and complaints that had already failed to resolve through the EEOC’s standard EEO counseling process.

The EEOC publicly recognized the achievement, noting that Alternative Law’s mediator “works very well with all types of clients, families, plaintiffs, defendants, and attorneys” and that the program represented “a very challenging, first in the nation” effort.

No other mediation firm in the RESOLVE program achieved a comparable outcome.

Why Government and Military Mediation Requires a Different Kind of Expertise

Federal, state, and military mediation is not simply business mediation applied to a government context. It operates within a distinct legal and procedural framework that requires specific knowledge to navigate effectively.

Federal Employment Law Is Layered and Specific

Federal employees are protected by Title VII, the Rehabilitation Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Equal Pay Act, and — for military personnel — the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Each statute has distinct procedural requirements, filing timelines, and remedies. A mediator who does not understand this framework cannot help parties evaluate their realistic options, which is essential to reaching informed settlements.

The Administrative Dispute Resolution Act of 1996 Structures Federal ADR

The ADR Act of 1996 requires all federal agencies to develop ADR policies and promotes the use of mediation as a preferred dispute resolution method throughout the federal system. Alternative Law’s experience running the RESOLVE program means the firm is intimately familiar with how federal ADR requirements, confidentiality rules, and settlement documentation standards differ from private-sector mediation — and how to work within those structures to reach durable resolutions.

Military Mediation Involves Unique Cultural and Institutional Dynamics

Disputes involving active duty military personnel, veterans, and Department of Defense contractors require mediators who understand military culture, chain-of-command dynamics, and the institutional constraints that affect how military personnel can participate in and respond to conflict resolution processes. Alternative Law has direct experience with U.S. Air Force and Department of Justice mediation, providing institutional knowledge that generic mediators cannot offer.

Government and Military Disputes Alternative Law Mediates

• Federal employee EEO complaints — discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims filed under Title VII, the Rehabilitation Act, and related statutes
• Military personnel disputes — USERRA claims, reemployment rights conflicts, and service-related employment disputes for active duty and reserve personnel
• Government contractor conflicts — disputes between federal contractors and agencies over contract performance, payment, scope interpretation, and termination
• State and local government employment disputes — HR conflicts, discrimination complaints, and whistleblower retaliation claims in state agency contexts
• Inter-agency conflicts — structural and interpersonal disputes between agencies, departments, or government bodies requiring neutral facilitation
• Veterans’ benefits and employment disputes — mediation of employment conflicts affecting veterans returning to civilian workforce positions

The Cost Argument for Federal ADR Is Compelling

The Office of Personnel Management reports that a single federal EEO complaint costs the government an average of $40,000 to resolve through the formal complaint process — a figure that does not include lost productivity, management time, or the organizational disruption caused by extended formal proceedings. The EEOC’s own data shows that mediated resolutions cost 65% less and resolve in a fraction of the time.

For government contractors and private employers engaged in federal employment disputes, the calculus is similar. Federal employment litigation routinely extends to 3 or more years, with defense costs that accumulate regardless of outcome.

Alternative Law’s Government Mediation Credentials at a Glance

• One of two firms selected nationally by the EEOC to run the RESOLVE program
• Only firm to resolve every RESOLVE case within one year of program launch
• Direct experience mediating for the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Air Force
• Certified neutral professionals with graduate degrees in mediation
• Designated as an outstanding mediation firm by the U.S. Government and the EEOC
• Fully compliant with ADR Act of 1996 confidentiality and documentation requirements

Ready to Work with a Federally Proven Mediation Team?

Alternative Law serves federal agencies, military branches, government contractors, state and local governments, and individual federal employees and veterans across all 50 states. Local offices in every state. No travel charges for on-site sessions.

Every engagement is backed by a 100% money-back guarantee. Call 1.800.529.1516 or schedule a confidential, no-obligation consultation at alternativelaw.com.