FINANCIAL STATUS OF A PARTY AT MEDIATION Not infrequently, parties (most often a defendant) at a mediation of an employment or business-related dispute, when insurance is not available, will advise me that they are experiencing financial difficulties, and either cannot pay anything close to the expected settlement and/or will need time to pay it. Plaintiffs typically scoff at such claims of “poverty,” offer anecdotal evidence of the opposing parties’ solid financial standing and then request…