Why mediate?
It’s quicker than going to court, it’s more private, it’s less stressful and it’s almost always cheaper. But here’s the most important thing to remember: it means you’re always in control.
Courts pit one party against the other. The decisions handed down are often limited to legal positions rather than best interests; there’s no guarantee that you’ll have achieved what you set out to achieve even if you win.
Mediation replaces this adversarial approach, where settlements are imposed by a third party, with voluntary, principled negotiation between the parties and their advisers. Disputes aren’t solved by a judge; they’re resolved by the people involved – by you.
As a mediator, I’m there simply to help you find this resolution and produce a mutually agreed, legally binding agreement or a Memorandum of Understanding where everyone’s positions and concerns are taken into account. I’m there to make sure the gaps are bridged voluntarily and that everybody’s satisfied with the result.
And in over 80% of cases I’ve mediated, that’s precisely what I’ve done.
How does it work in practice?
Once everyone’s agreed to mediate (and I can help with this; I’ll find a time date and that suits everyone) I’ll give everyone detailed information about what to expect and how to prepare. Then we can get started.
Most commercial mediations can be resolved within a day or two. Once we’ve established that everyone present has the authority to resolve the dispute, each party will very often make a short statement outlining the issue they want to address.
I’ll then confer with each party privately to get a clear understanding of their concerns, never disclosing privileged information between disputants or to any third party.
After that it’s a matter of finding the mutual interests at the heart of the dispute and working towards a resolution.
If you’d like to know more about mediation you may find what you’re looking for at www.mediate.co.uk – or you can call, email or get in touch with me via the contact page. I’ll be more than happy to answer your questions.
How much does it cost?
Fees can vary depending on the type of dispute, the value of the dispute and how long it takes to resolve. If you’d like an estimate, please give me a call, drop me an email or send me an outline of the dispute via the contact page.