Cortney Young, Mediator
Cortney spends much of her hustle helping others find common ground. As a mediator, she’s the third-party neutral who’s typically brought in to help different parties resolve conflict. She mediates divorces, pending or threatened civil litigation and has also been brought in to resolve disputes in corporations. Being impartial and unbiased certainly isn’t easy; it takes impeccable active listening, rapport building and good question-asking to come to a mutually-beneficial agreement—and Cortney always strives to do just that.
The Basics:
Hometown: Columbus, Montana
Current city: Reno, Nevada
Alma mater: University of Nevada; Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
Education: Paralegal Studies; Dispute Resolution
Hustle: Mediator
The Interests:
How do you spend your ‘free’ time?
I have three children, so I generally spend my free time with them and their activities. However, I always try to make time for myself, and that usually means I’m in my flower gardens working or reading up on design and architecture. I also really love to cook and entertain friends and family.
What’s your go-to power outfit?
I try to be very mindful of my clothes given my career; I think anything that you feel good in is a power outfit. I feel best in a suit or in a chic dress with classic details that fits just right.
Last book you read?
I tend to be a little all over the place with my books, and, annoyingly to most, I usually read two or three at a time. I just finished re-reading To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, America’s Reluctant Prince: The Life of John F. Kennedy, Jr. by Steven M. Gillon, and Principles by Ray Dalio.
Go-to coffee order and/or adult beverage?
I recently bought an espresso maker, so I’ve been indulging in a cappuccino for a treat. As for an adult beverage, I rarely turn down a good whisky (I take mine on the rocks).
The Hustle:
Tell us about your hustle.
A mediator is a third-party neutral who is typically brought in to help parties resolve some type of conflict. Mediation is used in many different ways throughout the world, but is generally used to resolve some underlying dispute. In my practice, I mediate divorces and pending or threatened with civil litigation. Though it is a much smaller portion of my practice, I have also been brought in to resolve disputes in corporations amongst varying levels of professionals. Good mediators have undergone hundreds to thousands of hours of training. Our toolkit includes using active listening, rapport building, and good question asking to facilitate resolution to a conflict. Being a neutral requires the use of many skills and they vary based on the type of matter at hand. What may be helpful in a divorce may not be needed in resolving a multi-million-dollar litigated case—although, those disputes often have more in common than people expect. In either scenario parties rely on me to be knowledgeable, creative in my problem solving, and able to adjust to the ever-changing needs of their clients.
Walk us through your ‘typical’ day. What kinds of ‘hats’ do you wear in your work?
Each day is different depending on what I’m doing. On days where I’m not conducting a mediation session, I’m usually preparing for an upcoming one. That preparation varies depending on the nature and type of the case. In litigated cases, I ask attorneys to provide briefing within a certain set of parameters, as well as any other documents that support their positions. I usually ask for these well in advance of our mediation for review, followed by phone calls or meetings with counsel and their clients to ask questions, explain my process, set expectations, and ask for any missing information so we can be as productive as possible the day of our mediation. I listen to all of the arguments of the parties, see what items they may already agree on, then find ways I can bring them closer on the items that they don’t agree on. Mediation is a faster and more cost-effective alternative to litigation. It also offers a much gentler approach to resolution and gives the parties control over the outcome.
How have your professional + academic experiences prepared you for the work you do today?
I was fortunate to learn from some really great lawyers who cared about my development as a professional. Nearly everything I’ve had the courage to try was supported or recommended by one of them. To that end, every job that I held in the legal field prepared me for where I am today.
What would you say is your biggest career milestone to date and why?
A lot of people have said, and continue to say, that what I’m doing is not going to work. Their reasons are based on the fact that I am a non-attorney mediator who is mediating litigated cases. With that in mind, I would say my biggest milestone was when my practice hit the six figure mark in revenue generation. It’s easy to believe people when they say you aren’t good enough, but if you keep pushing, you may surprise yourself.
How would you say being a woman has affected your professional experience? What can we do to create more equal, uplifting (and well-paying!) spaces for women in your industry?
For the most part, I have been fortunate in the opportunities and mentorship provided to me. I think that is a reflection of my interest, drive, and ability to put myself out there and take risks. In a career that has a large number of men, it can feel a little intimidating as a woman in the field. But I try to remind myself that I’ve earned this career. I think as a general rule, more women would be able to stay in the law and adjacent fields if we were able to give them space to have their families AND a career. This would mean closing the pay gap, providing support for child care, and promoting the ability to work some from home. Specific to private mediation and arbitration, I would encourage any attorney who’s considering sending a slate of proposed neutrals to opposing counsel to make sure the slate includes an even number of men and women. Sometimes it can be easy for people to not consider gender issues. This isn’t because the attorneys are intentionally avoiding women neutrals, it’s just that the first few names that pop into their heads on a given day may have just been men. But, a few more moments of intentional thinking can go a long way to providing opportunities for professional women. The same goes for inviting people to speak on panels or other professional opportunities.
What’s the gender ratio like in your industry? Do you see it evolving?
There are still more men than women in the dispute resolution field, but the balance is shifting towards equality over time. A major source of new mediators are lawyers and retired judges. As more women enter the legal field in general, the number of women mediators, arbitrators, and other neutrals goes up as well.
Are you involved with any other careers, side projects or organizations?
I’m currently the Vice-Chair of the Reno Human Rights Commission. I’ve also helped facilitate a local growth effort for K9’s for Warriors, an organization helping to provide support for Veterans with PTSD. For three years, I founded and ran the Children’s Cancer Classic, which raised over $20,000 for a local cancer organization providing support to families with children receiving cancer treatment.
Who are some women in your field that you look to for inspiration?
One example is Justice Lidia Stiglich of the Nevada Supreme Court. Watching her ascend to the highest court in our state has demonstrated perseverance, focus, and drive—which are all attributes I admire. She constantly reminds me to do the hard work, to show up, and to bring focus to complex areas of dispute.
Career and/or life advice for other babes?
The best career and life advice that I have is simply this: do not quit. Quitting is the easiest thing to do. You can take a break, but don’t quit. When things get rough, or you don’t get something right, it can feel tempting to fantasize about just giving up and doing something else instead. Don’t. Sure, it doesn’t feel good to make mistakes, but that is how we learn. No one has it all together and no one has all of the answers. But if you just don’t quit and just keep at it, you get it more together and learn more answers over time.
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