Carmen R. Matos

From 2013-2016, Mrs. Matos was listed in the “Top Attorneys in Pennsylvania” by Super Lawyers, Philadelphia Magazine.
                            
The Law Office of Carmen R. Matos, Esquire, specializes in mediation, employment law, personal injury, arbitration, contract, severance, unemployment compensation, state and federal sector cases. Ms. Matos, graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law, has thirty-five years of legal experience, fifteen years of federal service with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) Philadelphia District Office litigating employment discrimination cases in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey federal courts as Trial Attorney, Supervisory Trial Attorney and Acting Regional Attorney.  In 1989 Ms. Matos earned the highest EEOC award known as the Chairman's Award from now Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas based on an age discrimination case in West Virginia. In 1995 she received another Chairman’s Award for her EEOC amicus work in John Doe v. Kohn Nast  & Graf, the first  disability employment case litigated by EEOC establishing HIV as a disability.

Since 1998, Ms. Matos has been involved in mediation. In 2001, the EEOC certified Ms. Matos as a Mediator. In 2015, Ms. Matos became a licensed Mediator approved by the Florida Supreme Court. Ms. Matos is known for her expertise in discrimination including sexual harassment, age, disability, equal pay, national origin, race, retaliation, labor and civil service. She has represented both employers and employees in federal district court, EEOC and PHRC, American Arbitration Association, and other forums.

Ms. Matos conducts training seminars on various employment discrimination issues including but not limited to the Supreme Court of NJ in management liability for sexual harassment, private companies on employment issues, Continuing Legal Education for attorneys and EEOC nationwide staff on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Ms. Matos has published several articles on employment law in the Legal Intelligencer, Philadelphia.  Ms. Matos also investigates discrimination cases.    She has been a member of the Bucks County Bar Association, Inns of Court, American Bar Association, National Employment Lawyers Association and Hispanic Bar Association. She is fluent in Spanish, has a Master of Arts Degree in Spanish and Latin American Literature and enjoys family and golf.

Mediation is a form of alternate dispute resolution, a way of resolving disputes between two or more parties. Typically, a neutral third party, the mediator, assists the parties to negotiate a settlement by using facilitative or evaluative methods. Any dispute whether commercial, legal, diplomatic, workplace, community and family matter can be resolved by mediation. Initially, I became interested in mediation when I took an ADR course in law school.

Mediation is voluntary and confidential. The mediator acts as a neutral third party and facilitates rather than directs the process. Mediation is becoming a more peaceful and internationally accepted solution in order to end conflict. The benefits of mediation include:

Cost 

While a mediator typically charges a fee, the mediation process generally takes much less time and expense than moving a case through the courts. While a case in the hands of a lawyer or a court may take months or years to resolve, mediation usually achieves a resolution in  hours. Taking less time means expending less money on hourly fees and costs.

Confidentiality 

While court hearings are public, mediation remains strictly confidential. No recording is allowed in mediation. Confidentiality in mediation has such importance that the legal system cannot force a mediator to testify in court as to the content or progress of mediation. The only exceptions to such strict confidentiality may involve child abuse or actual or threatened criminal acts.

Control 

Mediation increases the parties’ control over the resolution. In a court case, the parties may obtain a resolution, but control resides with the judge or jury. Often, a judge or jury cannot legally provide solutions that emerge in mediation. Thus, mediation is more likely to produce a result that is mutually agreeable for the parties.

Compliance 

Because the result is achieved by the parties working together and is mutually agreeable, compliance with the mediated agreement is usually high. The mediated agreement is fully enforceable in a court of law.

Mutuality 

Parties to mediation are typically ready to work mutually toward a resolution. In most circumstances the mere fact that parties are willing to mediate means that they are ready to "move" their position. This allows each party to understand the other party's side and work on underlying issues to the dispute. This has the added benefit of preserving the relationship the parties had before the dispute.

Support 

Mediators are trained to work with difficult situations. The mediator acts as a neutral facilitator and guides the parties through the process. The mediator helps the parties think "outside of the box" for possible solutions to the dispute, broadening the range of possible solutions.

Position Papers

It is beneficial for each party to submit position papers outlining their respective positions.

Please call 609-558-9436 or email [email protected] to schedule your next mediation.