Successful mediation on Zoom requires more than just a stable connection; it requires an understanding of how digital interfaces affect human psychology. In a virtual environment, the ‘cues’ we rely on in person—body language, tone, and presence—are filtered through a screen.

As a PhD with nearly a decade of Zoom experience, I approach the Virtual Suite as a deliberate architectural space. My role is to mitigate ‘digital fatigue’ and manage the ‘online disinhibition effect,’ where parties may act more aggressively behind a screen than they would in a conference room. By controlling the digital environment with the same precision I apply to the legal issues at hand, I ensure that the technology serves the settlement, rather than distracting from it.