There’s a point in most mediations where the day changes.

You see it when offers slow, and people say:
 “Let’s see what they come back with.”

Advice starts being given in the room to deal with risk, manage expectations, or because it’s clear that time now matters.

Clients then want to know whether this is settling today.

Risk, time, pressure and costs start driving what gets offered - or whether anything is offered at all.

From there, the room is harder to move.

At that stage, it’s not really about the legal argument.

It’s about what you say, how you say it, and what you leave unsaid.

How curious you are about what the other side wants and needs.

How you show up in those moments is usually a result of your preparation.

By then, the result is largely set, unless you prepared for it.

Is at that time, when advice, outcomes, and your performance start being judged together.

And that’s where professional risk sits.