Wake Smith launches mediation service for people and businesses locked into commercial disputes

Wake Smith Solicitors 12 August 2024

Wake Smith Solicitors has launched a new service designed to settle company litigation disputes through mediation.

Experienced commercial litigator Mike Doherty is now a qualified mediator and an Associate Member of the Civil Mediation Council, allowing him to provide specialist civil/commercial litigation mediation for parties locked in civil/commercial disputes.

In his role as mediator, Mike will act as a neutral third party and use his vast experience and knowledge in civil/commercial disputes to assist parties in resolving their disputes and reaching mutually acceptable solutions.

This new service for the firm, enhances Wake Smith’s existing expert litigation offering which covers business disputes, property litigation and debt recovery cases ranging from multi-million-pound multi-party actions to matters involving a few thousand pounds.

Mike, who has been working closely with UK200 Group on this project, said: “Mediation is a great forum and opportunity for disputing parties entrenched in their positions and in deadlock, to move forward and reach a settlement.   

“Mediation can re-open dialogue and bring people back to the negotiating table. It often also leads to parties gaining a much better understanding of the underlying issues and the opposing party’s perspective, which in turn increases the prospect of movement and compromise.

“There are many advantages to resolving matters through mediation rather than litigating all the way to trial. For example, since whatever is stated in a mediation is confidential, it provides the parties with the opportunity of being entirely candid and frank with each other without the risk of such potentially undermining their positions.

“Also, with mediation the parties have flexibility and control over the outcome of their dispute and any agreements reached. They can agree to creative solutions that would not be available for a Judge to order via the Court process.”

As the mediator, Mike would firstly gain a full understanding of both the facts and issues but also what was most important to the parties. He added: “It is essential to be a good listener and then to facilitate dialogue and focus matters on the parties desired outcomes rather than their legal positions. I am not there to adjudicate but to help the parties reach an agreement by themselves and in turn avoid very costly, time consuming and quite often emotionally draining litigation.

“Although most mediations are successful, should no agreement be reached on the day, the parties usually find the process has nevertheless been very helpful and worthwhile having given them a much greater understanding of the issues and positions in a very short space of time.

“This often leads to a settlement shortly thereafter. That said, nobody can be forced to settle, and a binding settlement is only reached once a settlement agreement has been signed by all the parties.”

For further information on commercial dispute mediation contact Mike Doherty at Wake Smith Solicitors on 0114 224 2048 or email [email protected]

Tags

Archive

December 20245November 20245October 20246September 20245August 20245July 20243June 20243May 20245April 20242March 20247February 20242January 20248December 20236November 20232October 20233September 20232August 20234July 20232June 20235May 20237March 20234February 20235January 20233December 20225November 20224October 20224September 20223June 20221May 20227April 20223March 20223February 20223January 20224December 20214November 20213October 20214September 20216August 20212July 202111June 20218May 20216April 20212March 20218February 20218January 20219December 20208November 202013October 20208September 20208August 20203July 20208June 202016May 202011April 20206March 202016February 20208January 202011December 20199November 20199October 201911September 20195August 20194July 20196May 20198April 20196March 20193February 20195January 20194December 20186November 20185October 20182September 20185August 20184July 20189June 20184May 201810April 20185March 20184February 20184January 20183December 20175November 20178October 20177September 20179August 20175July 20176June 201710May 20175April 20178March 201711February 20176January 201710December 20169November 20167October 201610September 201610August 20166July 20167June 20163May 20162April 20166March 20162February 20164January 20165December 20153November 20155October 20156September 20156August 20157July 20157June 20157May 20156April 20159March 20156February 201510January 20156December 20145November 20144October 20142September 20143May 20144March 20146February 20144January 20142December 20132November 20133September 20134July 20132June 20132May 20133April 20131March 20133February 20133January 20136December 20121November 20123October 20122August 20122July 20128June 20123April 20123March 20121January 20124December 20112November 20111October 20112September 20113August 20113July 20117June 20119May 20117April 20115March 20119February 20118January 20111December 20101October 20102September 20102August 20103July 20106June 20101May 20102April 20106March 20102February 20103January 20102December 20095November 20092October 20092September 20092August 20091July 20095June 20095May 20093April 20093March 20093February 20091January 20092November 20082October 20082September 20081August 20083July 20081January 20082

Featured Articles

Contact us