Settling disputes by structuring difficult conversations.

Rates for 2025 for Rob Holmes (non-court appointed cases)

A $175 administrative fee applies to all cases except indigent cases as defined below.

Indigent case - All fees waived. An indigent case is a North Carolina case seeking money damages only which has been ordered to mediation and in which any party to the mediation receives one or more of these government benefits: SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, SSI, WIC, or Section 8 housing vouchers. (Zoom only if outside Wake County.)

Otherwise, hourly rates are on a claim-based sliding scale. In cases seeking monetary damages of:

$50,000 or less: $150 per hour with 2-hour minimum (Zoom-only if outside of Wake County)
$50,001-$100,000: $250 per hour with 2-hour minimum
$100,001-$1 million: $375 per hour
Over $1 million: $475 per hour
All other cases, including cases seeking non-monetary relief: $375 per hour with a 2-hour minimum.

Charges for pre-mediation services: No charge for pre-mediation review of pleadings or mediation brief under 10 pages total per side. Otherwise, pre-mediation services are billed at the rates shown above. Pre-mediation services include review of submitted pleadings, mediation briefs, or other documents. Short phone calls to discuss necessary administrative matters such as hourly rates, scheduling, and location are not billable. Otherwise, phone/Zoom calls to discuss other than administrative matters are scheduled only with the consent of all parties and are billable pre-mediation services. Pre-mediation services are billed to the party requesting the service.

Travel charges for in-person mediations*:

Wake County - No charge
Chatham, Durham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Orange: $100 flat rate
Other counties: $4 per mile, round trip

*Travel charges waived if mediation bill for hourly rate exceeds $1500

Cancellation policy: If cancelled at least 30 days before the scheduled mediation date, the $175 administrative fee is waived. Otherwise, the $175 administrative fee and any billable pre-mediation services incurred before cancellation are not waived.