Alternative Dispute Resolution Briefing: May 2023

Welcome to the first edition of the Deka ADR Team Briefing.

This is a really exciting time in the history of ADR, which is increasingly at the front and centre of any litigation procedure.

Lisa Dobie here considers the future of ADR, focussing on the proposed introduction of compulsory ADR in the small claims court and the important discussions at the Westminster Legal Policy Forum conference in March 2023 on the Future Direction of Dispute Resolution. Gurion Taussig on the other hand considers the approach of the High Court in Richards v Speechly Bircham LLP [2022] EWHC 1512, which suggests there is still progress to be made in terms of the Court’s willingness to sanction parties who fail to engage in ADR.

Following the merger of 9 Gough Chambers and 1 Chancery Lane in October, we are now Deka Chambers, one of the largest common law sets in the country. At Deka Chambers we are wholeheartedly committed to the use of ADR. Our barristers support, encourage and use ADR to help resolve disputes in a wide range of common law and commercial fields.

At Deka Chambers, we have a strong and experienced team of mediators, trained by and accredited with leading bodies, including CEDR and the London School of Mediation.

We also offer independent early neutral evaluation, which provides parties to disputes with non-binding evaluation or assessment of the merits and/or quantum issues, either on paper or at a joint meeting.

Read the Briefing in full.