Each party participating in a mediation will share pro-rata in all administrative and mediation fees, unless otherwise agreed by the parties and made known in writing to Ms. Venner. Ms. Venner will assume that the parties listed in her confirming letter are all of the parties participating in the mediation. Where one counsel represents more than one client, Ms. Venner will consider that a single party for purposes of this pro-rata responsibility for fees only. The respective law firms representing the parties are directly responsible for their client's share of the mediation fees. By agreeing to schedule a mediation session, the parties and their counsel agree to the terms of this Fee Schedule and that any balance due after a scheduled session will be paid within 30 days of the date of the Invoice, irregardless of whether or not the case settled.

The Administrative Fee covers administrative intake and initial contact with the parties or their counsel. It also includes the time incurred in scheduling and confirming the terms of the mediation in writing to the parties and any court ADR program reporting required of the mediator, both before and after the scheduled session. This fee is charged for each session of a scheduled mediation.

The hourly rate for mediation services is $385 per hour. There is a four and one-half hour minimum for all mediation sessions. The Minimum Mediation Session fee is $1,732.50. Mediation session time beyond this four and one-half hour minimum is also billed at $385 per hour. Additionally, this hourly rate is also charged for any pre-mediation session preparation time, including the time Ms. Venner spends reading and reviewing briefing materials and documents provided by any party and any time after a session adjourns that is authorized by the parties.

A total deposit of $1,982.50, representing the $1,732.50 Minimum Mediation Session Fee and the $250 Administrative Fee is required to reserve the date for a mediation session. Each party is required to pay their pro-rata share of this $1,982.50 deposit, unless the parties otherwise agree to some other split and such agreement is made known in writing to Ms. Venner. If the mediation is cancelled more than 14 days before the date reserved for the session, all sums deposited will be returned. See the section below pertaining to forfeiture of the full deposit to cover Late Fees where a session is cancelled or rescheduled less than 14 days before a scheduled session.  

If a mediation session is cancelled or rescheduled 14 days or less before the date of a scheduled session, $1,982.50 will be charged to the canceling party as a Late Fee. The deposits received from the respective parties will be applied towards their pro-rata share of such Late Fees, unless it is made known in writing via facsimile to the Ms. Venner that all of the parties have agreed to divide the Late Fees another way. Any unpaid balance on the Cancellation or Rescheduling Fee is due within ten days of the date of the cancelled or rescheduled session. In the case of a late rescheduling, where a party's deposit is applied to the Late Fee, the responsible party(s) must submit a second deposit to reserve a further date for mediation. If Ms. Venner's is able to promptly schedule a different mediation on the day of the cancelled or rescheduled session, the Late Fee will not be charged. Any unpaid balance on the Cancellation or Rescheduling Fee is due within ten days of the date of the cancelled or rescheduled session.

There is no charge for travel time to and from a mediation session in the Bay Area. Fees for travel outside the Bay Area will be negotiated.