Meet Sarah Zabel | Owner of a Dispute Resolution practice

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sarah Zabel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sarah, how do you think about risk?
Risk-taking is scary but necessary if you don’t want to live in limbo or to look back on your life and say to yourself what if? I have taken so many risks on my life’s journey. Starting with leaving a stable job to go to New York to pursue my acting career. Certainly getting married was a risk for which I have no regrets. I have four beautiful children as a result of my marriage. My life has had many twists and turns which prompted me to take risks. I don’t automatically dive into the deep end with no water but I also don’t shy away from carpe diem. When I began my dispute resolution practice after serving many years as a Circuit Court Judge it was a huge risk. Five years later I still see my business as a risk. It is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. Life is short and taking a risk is sometimes worth not succeeding. Nothing is perfect but for me, I can always say I tried my best.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
MAZE Resolutions is all about resolving conflict. It can be a real estate, family, employment, or homeowner’s insurance dispute. We are a team of four neutrals with years of varied legal experience. The core mission of the practice is to use alternative amicable solutions to avoid continued conflict. I not only mediate, I am a magistrate and arbitrator. I pride myself on helping in any way possible to keep the line of communication open. If there isn’t a resolution at the close of a mediation as a courtesy I will stay on as the neutral to get everyone over the finish line. When there is resolve there is finality and peace of mind to the dispute. There are no guarantees when a judge, jury, or arbitrator is left to make the ultimate decision. Networking has been instrumental in the growth of my practice. Understanding the use of social media has also been important to my practice’s five-year journey. I am always on a learning curve. Growth is about learning from your mistakes. I have grown but I have so much more to learn. I am excited about where I am, but I would like to add more neutrals to the practice. I have done so much in the last five-years, including climbing on a roof as a neutral umpire. The biggest challenge is the challenge itself. I always self-evaluate myself to better my brand. When you are in the maze of a conflict I want you to know the team at MAZE will try to help navigate you out of your dispute.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
There are a lot of places I would take a good friend. To start with I would go to midtown Miami. There are a variety of restaurants and unique stores that everyone would enjoy. Lincoln Road on Miami Beach is another location where there are fabulous restaurants and a variety of stores. Las Olas in Fort Lauderdale is a place where there is great artwork displayed, plus delicious food options. I would take my friend on a river cruise to see all the beautiful homes on the intercoastal. There is a lot of great shopping whether it is Sawgrass Mills or Aventura Mall. South Florida has amazing sports teams. We can go to a baseball game with the Marlins or watch the Panthers if you like hockey. I would add to the list going to the beach (unless it is raining).

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shout-out is to my husband Myron Rosner. Over 21 years ago my husband fell from a ladder and became paralyzed from the waist down. When he came home from the hospital he didn’t allow himself to waste away but did everything to support me when I ran a Dade County race for Judge. Then again he supported my decision to open my own dispute resolution business. His courage and kindness are an inspiration to me and our children. I also want to give recognition to Miami Dade FAWL. As a past president, I am proud to be part of an organization that mentors and supports the advancement of women lawyers.

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