Mediation

Overview

The Civil Justice Council (“CJC”) has described mediation as: “the pre-eminent non-adjudicative dispute resolution process conducted in parallel with litigation”.

The CJC supports not only mandatory ADR, but compulsory mediation. The landscape is changing quickly. At Deka Chambers we have a team of trained and experienced mediators ready to help you to stay ahead of the game.

Mediation provides a quick, confidential and cost-effective way of resolving disputes without trial, allowing the parties to remain in control of the process and to address issues outside the narrow scope of litigation. A mediator is appointed by all of the parties to the dispute to help them resolve their dispute in a manner acceptable to them all. It has the advantage over traditional joint settlement meetings in that the involvement of a trained, experienced neutral, who has no directive authority, can often help the parties to work through deadlocks and bring a fresh perspective to entrenched positions.

Mediation can be used to settle any kind of dispute, from the simplest to the most complex. Litigation does not even have to have been started. It rarely takes longer than a day and, arranged at the right stage in a dispute, will cost much less than proceeding to a court hearing.

For further information please see the Deka Chambers Guide to “How Mediation Works”.

Our Mediators

Our mediation team at Deka Chambers started in 2003 and is steadily growing.  Our mediators are trained by and accredited with leading bodies including the CEDR and the London School of Mediation.  Some are faculty members, training other mediators.  All are practising barristers.

Our accredited mediators are:

• Grahame Aldous KC – CEDR Accredited Mediator
• Tim Parker KC – Accredited by IFLA and Mediator
• Gaurang Naik – Accredited Mediator
• Laura Elfield – Accredited Mediator and Evaluator
• Simon Butler – Accredited Mediator
• Gurion Taussig – Accredited Mediator and Evaluator

Mediation Expertise

• Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Early Neutral Evaluation

Disputes Covered

We are a common law set, undertaking both claimant and defendant work.  We can offer mediation across a broad range of practice areas.

We have particular experience in personal injury, clinical negligence, employment law, professional negligence and commercial disputes.

In the employment field, we have trained and qualified workplace and employment mediators who can assist both in repairing existing employment relationships and easing the transition for those which have broken down.

The Mediation Process

Our mediators can be booked by a simple phone call to the clerks. Then a Deka Chambers Mediation Agreement is signed to confirm the booking. The Agreement also sets out the process although further guidance on this will be provided by our mediators once the booking is confirmed. Download a copy of our Mediation Agreement.

For claims worth less than £100,000 we offer a reduced rate, short form, remote mediation service. Please enquire with the clerks for our fees.