The SELA Advantage

Our mediators are trained professionals who specialize in alternative dispute resolution.

We provide:  

  • Flexible in-person, virtual, or hybrid sessions

  • Follow-up mediation for unresolved matters

  • Access to financial and legal professionals when needed

  • All-day or half-day sessions available at your office or any SELA location

  • Lower hourly rates than other regional mediation firms

  • No hidden fees for travel, setup, or administrative hours

  • Preparation materials and introductory videos for more efficient sessions

  • Follow-up mediation included at no extra cost if a case doesn’t settle on the first day

An older woman with short gray hair, dressed in a white shirt, sitting in an office, looking at a younger man and woman who are blurred in the foreground.
  • Save Time: Most cases resolve in weeks, not months or years in court.

  • Save Money: No costly hearings, discovery battles, or endless attorney fees.

  • Reduce Stress: A private, collaborative setting focused on solutions, not conflict.

  • Stay in Control: You—not a judge—decide what works best for your family.

Ultimately, you and your spouse determine the outcome, not the court.

Why Choose Mediation Over Litigation


A woman sitting in a wicker chair, appearing to be in a serious conversation with two others, one man and one woman, in a cozy indoor setting.

Pre-litigation mediation is effective in a wide range of civil and commercial disputes, including:

  • Business and contract disagreements

  • Property damage and insurance claims

  • Employment and workplace conflicts

  • Construction or contractor disputes

  • Family or estate matters

By resolving disputes at this stage, parties can often save thousands of dollars in legal expenses and weeks or months of delay.

SELA Dispute Resolution helps you take the first step toward closure—before litigation begins.

What is Pre-Litigation Mediation and When to Use It?


Pre-litigation mediation is a voluntary, confidential process that brings disputing parties together—guided by a neutral mediator—to explore settlement options before filing a suit. This early-stage intervention helps parties:

  • Identify core issues and clarify misunderstandings

  • Exchange information informally and efficiently

  • Develop creative settlement terms

  • Avoid public records, discovery costs, and court fees


A woman in a tan blazer argues with a bald man in a blue suit in an office. A man in a black suit sits at the desk, watching them.

Mediation Levels

  • Pre-Litigation

    Not every dispute needs to end up in court. At SELA Dispute Resolution, we help individuals, businesses, and insurers resolve conflicts before a lawsuit is ever filed. Pre-litigation mediation allows parties to address issues privately, constructively, and cost-effectively—often preserving working relationships and preventing the stress of formal litigation.

  • Small & Medium Value Mediations

    At SELA Dispute Resolution, we believe every case deserves attention—no matter its size. Many law firms and mediation providers overlook smaller-value disputes because of their cost structures. SELA fills that gap by offering affordable, streamlined mediation options for cases valued under $50,000.

  • Traditional Mediations

    For higher-value disputes, complex negotiations, and multi-party cases, SELA Dispute Resolution offers full- and half-day Traditional Mediation Services designed to help clients reach fair and enforceable agreements efficiently

Couple reviewing divorce papers at a table with a courthouse scale sculpture in the center.

Issues We Commonly Resolve


Our experienced mediators handle all aspects of family and divorce mediation, including:

  • Child Custody & Parenting Coordination

  • Spousal & Child Support

  • Division of Assets & Debt

  • Community Property & Business Valuation

  • Relocation & Co-Parenting Agreements

  • Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreement Disputes

  • Breach of Fiduciary Duty Claims

  • Characterization of Property

  • Marriage & Domestic Partnership Dissolution

  • Attorneys’ Fees and Cost Allocations

  • Capacity or Competency Concerns

At SELA Dispute Resolution, we help Louisiana families navigate divorce and related disputes without the cost, conflict, and delays of traditional litigation. Our mediators guide couples toward fair, lasting agreements—empowering them to move forward with dignity and financial peace of mind.

Divorce & Family Mediation Services

Resolve Family Matters with Respect, Efficiency, and Control.

A man holding a baby girl indoors, both looking to the right. The background shows modern hanging lamps and a kitchen with shelves.

Your Family.
Your Terms.
Your Future.

Divorce doesn’t have to be a battle. With SELA Dispute Resolution, you’ll find a faster, calmer, and more affordable way to reach agreement—one built on respect, not rivalry.

Mediation saves time, saves money, and protects what matters most: your family.

Satellite view of a large hurricane with a well-defined eye over the ocean, surrounded by clouds.

Hurricane Claim Mediation

Efficient, Fair, and Cost-Effective Resolution for Louisiana Property Claims.

When disaster strikes, the road to recovery can feel overwhelming. At SELA Dispute Resolution, our mediators help Louisiana property owners, insurers, and contractors resolve hurricane-related disputes quickly and fairly—without the expense and delay of drawn-out litigation.

Why Choose Mediation for Hurricane Claims


  • Save Time: Avoid years of litigation and reach resolution in weeks or months.

  • Save Money: Reduce legal fees, appraisal costs, and expert expenses.

  • Stay in Control: Both sides shape the outcome—not the court.

  • Reduce Stress: Resolve disputes in a private, professional, and less adversarial setting.

A heron standing in shallow water near a moss-covered rock with a city skyline in the background.

SELA’s panel of mediators includes professionals with deep experience in hurricane and insurance claim disputes. Many of our mediators:

  • Have handled hundreds of hurricane-related claims across Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.

  • Are approved under multiple court-imposed Case Management Orders (CMOs).

  • Understand the insurance claims process, coverage issues, and FEMA-related procedures.

  • Work with homeowners, public adjusters, contractors, and carriers to reach balanced, sustainable settlements.

Our Experience

Aerial view of a neighborhood showing houses with damaged roofs and debris scattered across lawns and streets, likely caused by a storm or tornado.

Common Storm Issues We Mediate

Our mediators are trained to resolve complex storm-related claims involving:

  • Property Damage Valuation Disputes

  • Business Interruption Claims

  • Coverage Denials and Policy Interpretation

  • Supplemental and Additional Living Expense (ALE) Claims

  • Roof, Flood, and Wind Damage Disputes

  • Contractor or Adjuster Disagreements

  • Bad Faith Allegations

  • Deductible and Payment Allocation Issues

  • Multi-Property and Commercial Claims

Healthcare Mediation & Compliance Services

Neutral. Knowledgeable. Compliant.

Healthcare disputes and compliance issues require more than mediation—they demand a deep understanding of law, regulation, and healthcare operations. At SELA Dispute Resolution, our mediators and hearing officers bring specialized expertise in Louisiana healthcare law, helping attorneys, hospitals, and insurers resolve complex matters efficiently and fairly.

Stethoscope and pen resting on a medical chart or patient report.

Medical Set-Asides & Compliance Support

Through a strategic partnership with Cattie Compliance Partners, LLC, SELA offers full-spectrum medical lien and compliance assistance for Louisiana attorneys, insurers, and adjusters.

Comprehensive Compliance Services Include:

  • Medical Lien Management:

    • Searches, disputes, and appeals of lien obligations

    • Resolution strategies for complex multi-claim cases

  • Medicare Set-Asides (MSAs):

    • Secure, CMS-compliant future medical allocations

    • Full management of the Medicare Set Aside process from start to finish

  • High-Value Lien Arbitration:

    • SELA’s attorneys provide CMS High-Value Lien Arbitration services in partnership with Cattie Compliance Partners

    • At conclusion, parties receive an enforceable arbitration award binding against CMS

  • Additional Compliance Capabilities:

    • Conditional Payment and Lien Resolution

    • Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Matters

    • Section 111 Reporting Assistance

This partnership ensures clients receive the peace of mind and regulatory certainty they need when managing healthcare-related settlements.

Learn more About Cattie Compliance Partners, LLC

Peer Review Hearings & Fair Hearing Oversight

Peer review is vital to maintaining patient safety and the quality of care—but it must also be fair and compliant with federal law. SELA provides qualified attorneys with extensive experience in hospital and healthcare law to serve as Hearing Officers in peer review proceedings throughout Louisiana.

Our Peer Review Services

Business professionals in suits shaking hands during a meeting, with others clapping and smiling in a modern conference room.

Hearing Officer Appointment:

  • Neutral attorneys preside over peer review hearings under medical staff bylaws.

  • Officers rule on procedural and evidentiary issues without influencing outcomes.

  • HCQIA Compliance:

    • Our Hearing Officers ensure adherence to the Health Care Quality Improvement Act (HCQIA), 42 U.S.C. § 11101 et seq.

    • Compliance includes maintaining independence from economic competition with the physician under review.

  • Fair Hearing Process:

    • Required for potential disciplinary actions such as:

      • Denial or termination of medical staff privileges

      • Suspension or restriction of practice

      • Reappointment or credentialing decisions

SELA ensures all proceedings meet federal and state fair hearing standards, minimizing hospital exposure to adverse judgments.

A fair, compliant process protects both the hospital’s integrity and the provider’s rights—ensuring accountability, transparency, and trust in Louisiana’s healthcare institutions.

Close-up of two people shaking hands in an office setting.

Appraisal & Umpire Services


Many Louisiana property insurance policies now include appraisal provisions, requiring the parties to resolve valuation disputes outside of court. When an insurer and policyholder disagree on the amount of loss, each selects an appraiser—and together, those appraisers choose a neutral Umpire. A decision agreed upon by any two of the three becomes binding.

Under Louisiana law, appraisal awards are enforceable, and court challenges are extremely limited. Selecting an experienced and impartial Umpire is crucial—it helps avoid the risk of:

  • A court later finding the Umpire exceeded their authority

  • A lengthy and expensive trial recalculating the loss

As appraisal and arbitration law continues to evolve, courts are increasingly considering fairness as a factor in whether to uphold an award.
This includes:

  1. Fairness in forming the agreement

  2. Fairness in conducting the appraisal process

  3. Fairness in the final outcome

At SELA Dispute Resolution, our neutrals understand these emerging standards and ensure that every appraisal process meets the highest ethical and procedural benchmarks.

Special Master Appointments

In complex civil or family law matters, a Special Master acts in a quasi-judicial role—helping parties and courts evaluate evidence, streamline disputes, and reach resolution faster.

Happy family of four with a man, woman, and two children smiling and hugging each other indoors.

When to Appoint a Special Master


A Special Master may be appointed by the court or agreed upon by the parties to oversee issues such as:

  • Child custody and support

  • Division of community property

  • Complex factual disputes

  • Cases requiring privacy outside a public courtroom

After reviewing evidence and submissions, the Special Master issues a report and recommendation filed into the court record. Parties maintain the right to challenge or appeal the Special Master’s opinion, just as they would with a judicial ruling.

SELA’s panelists combine legal expertise and mediation skill to help litigants and courts resolve complex matters efficiently, privately, and fairly.