A mediator should not be surprised that a session does not unfold as expected. My practice is strictly confined to labour relations and employment matters and one time an employee showed up with a lawyer who had no experience in the area. It was obvious from the outset. The lawyer also seemed to think the session was more of an adjudication than an exercise in trying to find an acceptable solution fashioned by the parties. So a representative without either substantive or adjectival experience. The mediation took more time than it should have under normal circumstances, so that required a lot of patience. It also required some private discussions without clients to edify the uninitiated counsel. It was important to educate the lawyer without embarrassment in front of the lawyer's client. Patience, dignity, respect.