STORE AROUND THE CORNER: Impact Mediation

Husband-and-wife team Michael and Ruth Harshman are merging their backgrounds of more than 60 years combined in law and governmental careers to bring a new mediation firm to the East County.

Called Impact Mediation, the new practice focuses on family, circuit civil and residential mortgage foreclosure mediations.

“You want to try to have the parities think about what their best day in court would be and what their worst day in court would be,” Michael Harshman said. “If you try your case before a court, the litigant has no input in the result. The judge or jury decides. With mediation, the parties can have input on what’s going to affect them in a particular matter.”

The Harshmans said their experiences and teamwork will be especially helpful with family law issues, such as divorce cases, because they can bring both male and female perspectives to the table for discussion.

After moving to the area full-time from Ohio more than a year ago, the couple is eager to begin offering its services to the East County.

“We like to help people,” Michael Harshman said. “That’s what we’ve both done all of our professional lives.”

Ruth Harshman has a master’s degree in psychology and more than 20 years of government service, including nearly 18 years as mayor of Poland, Ohio. Michael Harshman has practiced law for more than 40 years.

For more information about Impact Mediation, visit its Web site at www.impact-mediation.com. 

BASICS
Impact Mediation
Location: 8209 Nature's Way, Suite 221, Lakewood Ranch 
Phone: 312-5777
Hours: By appointment
Line of business:  Family, circuit civil and residential mortgage foreclosure mediation
Employees: 2
Year Established: January 2010
What makes the business unique: "Together we'll bring a different perspective to mediating — both a male and female viewpoint."