Real-Time Availability Calendar
Michael H. Lax
Mediation Rates:
– 2 Party Case: $275 per party per hour
– 3 Party Case: $220 per party per hour
– 4 Party Case: $190 per party per hour
Minimum Fees:
– Half Day – 3 hours, or the amount of time reserved if more than 3 hours
– Full Day – 6 hours, or the amount of time reserved if more than 6 hours
The mediation fee is calculated based on your Mediator’s hourly billing rate as detailed above including any pre-mediation preparation time and post-mediation follow-up time spent on the matter.
Note: we do not charge any administrative, scheduling, or rescheduling fees. In exchange we ask that you please respect our time and the cancellation policy below.
MEDIATION CANCELLATION POLICY
If you need to cancel or reschedule, our office must be notified via email prior to the date and time indicated in your confirmation email for that particular mediation or arbitration in order to avoid the minimum fee.
Please note that for us to remain neutral, it is our policy to bill all parties equally for their portion of our minimum fees regardless of which party cancels a session or why it was canceled, even if it is being rescheduled, has settled, or one side is still willing to move forward.
- Business and Commercial Disputes
- Insurance Matters
- Medical Malpractice
- Personal Injury Litigation
Michael H. Lax has an “AV” Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell as a civil trial lawyer who has been mediating as a Certified Circuit Court mediator since 1991. He is also Certified by the Florida Supreme Court as a Court Appointed Arbitrator. He has litigated, arbitrated and mediated large complex civil cases in the areas of business and commercial disputes, insurance disputes, intellectual property disputes, medical malpractice, products liability and personal injury.
NOTE: Starting in 2024, Michael no longer accepts new non-binding arbitration matters, except for those already set or court ordered by name.
CERTIFICATIONS
- Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil Mediator
- Supreme Court Qualified Arbitrator
- Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
EDUCATION
- George Washington University School of Public and International Affairs, Washington, D.C., A.B. Degree Awarded June 1971
- Washington University School of Law, St. Louis , MO, J.D. Degree awarded May, 1974
- University of Miami Graduate School of Business Administration, MBA Degree Awarded December, 1983
- Admitted to the Florida Bar: 1974
- Admitted to the Federal Bar: 1975
- Admitted to the Trial Bar of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida:1991
- Member and Panelist of the American Arbitration Association: 1990-Present
- Certified by the Supreme Court of Florida as a Circuit Court Mediator: 1991-Present mediating commercial transactions and contract claims; insurance contracts and coverage claims; medical malpractice claims; personal injury claims; and real estate contracts
- Certified by the Supreme Court of Florida for Court Appointed Arbitrations: 2002-Present
- Chair Elect of the ADR Section of The Florida Bar: 2013
- Chair of the ADR Section of the Florida Bar: 2014-2015
- Member of the Florida Bar Grievance Process Review Commission: 2012
- Certified as program mediator and arbitrator for the Florida Bar Grievance Mediation and Fee Arbitration Program
- Alternative Dispute Resolution training includes the American Arbitration Association Circuit Court Mediation Training Program, April, 1990
- The American Arbitration Association Advanced Arbitrator Training, Miami
- The Florida Bar Grievance Mediation Program, October, 1998
- Florida Supreme Court Certified Arbitrator Training, August, 2002
- Managing shareholder: Michael H. Lax, P.A.: 1998-Present
- Member and managing shareholder: Peters, Robertson, Lax, Parsons, Welcher, Mowers & Passaro, P.A. from 1983 to 1998; Practicing in the area of Civil Litigation
- Winner of the Lifetime Professionalism Award in the Section of ADR at The Florida Bar Annual Convention, 2017-2018
- Past Member of the American Bar Association
- Past Member of the Trial Lawyer’s Section of the American Bar Association
- Past Member of the Defense Research Institute
- Past Member of the International Association of Defense Counsel
- Past Member of the Dade County Bar Association
- Member of the Florida Academy of Professional Mediators
- Member, National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals
- Past Chairman of the Professionalism Committee of the Dade County Bar Association
- Past member and Chairman of the Florida Bar Grievance Committee “11M”
- Past member of the Florida Bar Unlicensed Practice of Law Committee
- Member of the Spellman-Hoeveler American Inn of Court
- Member of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Professionalism Committee
- Member, Florida Circuit Civil Mediator Society
- Past member of the Alliance for Ethical Government
- Past member of the Board of Directors of the Dade County Bar Association
- Panelist for the University of Miami Law School Partnership for Professionalism Program
- Past Chairman of the LEGAL/ELF Advisory Committee to the School Board of Miami-Dade County
- Past President of Friends of Law Education
- Past Member of the Regional Board of Directors of the Anti-Defamation League
- Past and present Chairman of the ADL-Dade Civil Rights Committee
- Past member of the Board of Directors of the South Florida Center for Executive Leaders