What We Do
Workplace
Conflict Resolution
We help employers address workplace conflict by facilitating structured conversations between employees whose inability to work together is disrupting performance and morale.
Workplace Investigations
We conduct impartial workplace investigations that provide employers with clear, credible findings when allegations of misconduct or policy violations arise. Our investigations are thorough, defensible, and tailored to meet both legal obligations and organizational needs.
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HR Support
and Training
We provide customized training for HR professionals to build skills in managing employee conflicts and workplace complaints with confidence and consistency.
Amy S. McDowell
With over 25 years of experience, Amy has managed sensitive workplace issues ranging from employee disputes to large-scale investigations. She provides employers with clear, actionable findings to address complex matters effectively. Amy brings a steady, balanced approach to conflict, ensuring that employers receive thorough, fair, and defensible outcomes. Employers rely on Amy for her deep knowledge, practical guidance, and commitment to helping organizations address challenges while maintaining a respectful and productive workplace.
Sasha Vaikhman
With nearly 25 years of legal experience, Sasha has spent the past three years focused exclusively on her independent practice as a mediator and workplace investigator, helping employees and employers move past impasses and uncover the facts needed to resolve complex issues. This blend of legal expertise, hands-on mediation, and investigative experience allows her to approach workplace conflict with both rigor and empathy. Employers turn to Sasha for impartial investigations and practical conflict resolution that restore focus, minimize risk, and support healthier workplaces.
About Us
FAQs
What is workplace conflict resolution?
How can an outside professional help resolve workplace conflict?
What kind of investigations do you handle?
What makes you different from our HR professional?
What's the octopus all about?
Workplace conflict resolution is about helping people work through the inevitable tensions that come up on the job. Disagreements happen — over communication, roles, workload, or just different personalities.
The process doesn’t magically erase all conflict, and it isn’t about making everyone best friends. Instead, it’s about giving people a chance to talk things out, clear up misunderstandings, and come to agreements they can actually work with. Done right, it reduces the stress and distraction that come with unresolved issues and helps teams focus on their work.
Bringing in an expert reduces organization risk by showing the company addressed the disputes before they escalated or reached litigation. It prevents misunderstandings from growing, lowers the stress ongoing tension creates, and gives teams the space to rebuild trust and collaborate more effectively — all without putting HR or managers in the position of being the “judge” between colleagues.
We handle a wide range of workplace investigations for employers, including allegations of harassment, discrimination, retaliation, policy violations, and other employee misconduct. Our approach is impartial, thorough, and focused on uncovering the facts so that employers can make informed decisions. We work carefully to ensure fairness to all parties, maintain confidentiality, and provide clear, actionable findings that help organizations address issues effectively and reduce risk.
Companies hire a third party for workplace conflict resolution because having a neutral, experienced facilitator makes it easier for everyone to speak openly and work toward real solutions. Employees are often more willing to share honestly when the person guiding the conversation is neutral and not part of day-to-day management.
Working with an outside firm also brings the benefit of objectivity and perspective that can be difficult to maintain internally, particularly when issues are sensitive or involve power dynamics. When that outside support comes from professionals with legal training, the process is informed by an understanding of how workplace decisions and responses may later be evaluated if concerns escalate.
Engaging an independent, legally trained third party allows employers to show that they took the issue seriously and invested in outside, objective guidance. While no process can eliminate risk entirely, a fair, neutral, and well-considered approach can help demonstrate that the organization acted thoughtfully and responsibly — often reducing the likelihood that issues turn into formal complaints or litigation.
Why an octopus? Because it’s clever, curious, and quietly brilliant at solving problems (modest, too).
Take Otto, the octopus from a German aquarium who didn’t appreciate a bright light shining into his tank at night. After surveying the situation, he used his siphon to squirt water at the bulb — short-circuiting it and turning it off. Problem identified, analyzed, and answered.
We get that. Like Otto, we’re observant and strategic. We notice what others overlook, and find the non-obvious solutions. When something’s not working, we don’t just accept it; we find the smartest, most elegant way to fix it.
An octopus doesn’t charge straight ahead; it explores, tests, and adapts. It thrives in complexity. That’s how we approach our work: curious, analytical, flexible, and quietly
determined.
So: why an octopus? Because it reminds us that intelligence isn’t loud; it’s thoughtful, resourceful, and occasionally armed with a well-aimed splash of creativity.
Testimonials
"I had the pleasure of working with Sasha and Amy for a number of years and they both brought exceptional skill, sound judgment, and integrity to their work. When we worked together, they were always my first stop for counsel and guidance on any employment related matter, whether large or small. Both Sasha and Amy have a remarkable ability to handle complex and sensitive workplace issues with fairness, insight and empathy. It's no surprise that they have built such a strong reputation as employment lawyers. With experience as outside counsel, in-house counsel, and mediation, they have combined to develop a deep experience that has provided for valuable perspectives from all angles. Sasha and Amy are thoughtful, professional, and deeply committed to helping organizations and employees find practical, respectful resolutions. I would recommend them to any employer without hesitation."
Steve Metzger
President, Carriage Services, Inc.
"Amy brings a rare combination of sharp legal insight and getting to the heart of the issue with genuine human understanding.
She listens closely and asks the right questions to produce findings that are both practical and actionable. Her sound advice brings clarity so that executives and management can resolve uncertainty and find solutions to even the most complex or sensitive matters."
Charlene Tsang-Kao
Former Litigation/Employment Law Firm Partner and Assistant General Counsel of over 25 years
"I worked with Sasha on a large, politically sensitive workplace investigation. The matter was complex and high-stakes, involving multiple competing perspectives and significant organizational tension. Sasha navigated it all with exceptional professionalism, discretion, and sound judgment. She earned the trust of everyone involved and helped us get to the bottom of a messy situation with clarity and fairness. Her work was thorough, balanced and insightful - exactly what we needed to move forward with confidence."
Virginia Ramirez
Deputy General Counsel
Houston-based company
Contact Us
Need assistance with workplace conflict resolution or independent workplace investigations? Don't hesitate to reach out to us. Our team is here to provide the support and guidance you need.