Why Mediation?

What about cost, speed and a flexible outcome? Any final agreement is the parties; fashioned by the parties for the parties through negotiation, which can be face to face or in separate rooms, with the mediator in the mix facilitating, helping the parties to find agreement. No Judgment, no imposed settlement that ignores the reality of the relationship or the circumstances that brought you here. This is your mediation, working to your agreement.

“Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it”

Mahatma Ghandi

What’s the alternative?

Litigation through the Court system; suffering in silence (or not!). Litigation is slow, costs real money, usually ends with an imposed Judgment and seriously ruins relationships, personal, business, neighbours.

“Every honest man thinks as you do. But you see we must think of the Law”

John Goldsworthy

Litigation is constrained by the law, a mediated solution (so long as what is agreed is not illegal) is entirely in the parties’ hands.

Litigation is the backbone of the legal system; it has held us together for ever, but justice is blind and blunt and today its seriously under pressure. Mediation is a genuine and (in the right hands), innovative, alternative method of Dispute resolution.

What is mediation?

It’s the opportunity to meet in an informal setting (which can be face to face, or in separate rooms, in person or online) to try to get to the root of the problem, and work out a solution which gets to the issues before the you get drawn into the time-consuming money pit that is Litigation.

The discussions are private and confidential – but any resolution is binding.

What is a mediator?

An individual trained to listen, to explore and ask challenging questions assisting the parties to find a way through the dispute toward a mutually satisfactory agreement.

The mediator will not make a judgment or order anybody to do anything – their function is purely to facilitate; if you do not reach an agreed outcome, you have lost nothing. On the other hand if you do, think of the time and money you will have saved, and you might just save a relationship as well.

If both parties voluntarily agree to try mediation, the signs are good – statistically in 2024, 70% of mediations settled on the day and a further 17% settled shortly after mediation day. That’s 87% of mediations resulting in positive outcomes for the parties. (CEDR (Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution), 2025)

And in the end

“Fools and obstinate men make rich lawyers”

Spanish Proverb

For some disputes, litigation and the determination of a Judge after a public hearing is inevitable; the only solution – for the rest (and for far more than people realise) there is mediation. An outcome for the parties, fashioned by the parties (and no one else); private, immediate and at a modest cost.

A solution which is agreed, rather than imposed is much more likely to last.

Talking and listening is easier, and it’s cheaper too – Why litigate when you could mediate?