What is Mediation ?
Mediation is a flexible, confidential, and voluntary method of alternative dispute resolution. An independent third party - one of our experienced mediators - will facilitate negotiations between two conflicting parties to help them come to a consensual settlement.
Mediation provides a private and confidential forum in which the conflicting parties can listen to each other's positions, gain insight into what the other party wants and achieve clarity on what it is that they themselves truly want.
Mediation assists and supports conflicting parties to have open conversations that may usually be difficult to have constructively.
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Mediation helps parties remain calm enough to recognise, understand and empathise with the other’s emotions and position.
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Mediation enables people to explore all of the issues and concerns that parties have & that the other side may not have considered previously.
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Mediation encourages long-term communication between parties to try and prevent future conflicts by helping them to develop the skills necessary to resolve difficulties themselves.
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The mediator will have an active role in the negotiations, helping identify the issues and possible compromises. They do not, however, have any legal power. Unlike an arbitrator or judge, a mediator will not make decisions during the mediation process and nothing the mediator states or suggests is legally binding in the eyes of the court. The two parties are ultimately responsible for honouring their mediated agreement. Some parties may seek to have a their agreement signed off by a solicitor to make it a legally enforceable contract.