Editor’s Note: The American Bar Association has designated this week as Mediation Week in recognition of advances made by the legal profession “in institutionalizing mediation as one of several appropriate dispute resolution process.” Besides the column below, see other commentaries pertaining to Alternative Dispute Resolution in a recent DBR Arbitration and Mediation Special Report at DailyBusinessReview.com.

‘Mejor un mal acuerdo que un buen pleito,” as the Spanish saying goes, “better a bad settlement than a good lawsuit.”