As well as the traditional dispute-resolution methods of direct negotiation and litigation, alternative techniques known as ADR (alternative dispute resolution) have been developed which include mediation, arbitration and coaching. Mediation is a technique in which a mediator helps the parties to resolve their dispute and settle it via a legally binding declaration. The decision is made neither by a judge nor the mediator: instead the parties themselves arrive at a consensus. The mediation technique of dispute resolution focuses on the parties' interests that underlie their positions. In doing so, the dispute is settled in a way that does justice to these interests. Although mediation can also be used for family disputes, we do not cover this area. Our mediation activities concentrate on intra-business disputes between:  Individual employees/ departments  Management and works council  Directors and shareholders  Shareholders We also handle inter-business disputes concerning:  Contractual disputes, e.g. disputes between purchasers and suppliers, companies and subcontractors or companies and commercial agents  Disputes after mergers and takeovers (post-merger integration)  Employment-related disputes Additionally, we provide consultation on setting up a dispute-management system (DMS).