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Writer's pictureEd Johnson

On the side of the angels

With the limited access to courts and lawyers mediation is even more so now than ever the best choice to find a resolution for your dispute. Get your dispute resolved now while you can’t go anywhere you can really concentrate on what’s important and what deserves your time and energy.


Northwest Mediation continues to use Zoom, Skype and FaceTime as well as the phone and emails to resolve disputes so please do not feel that you cannot contact us as there are limits on physical meetings.



I was going to start with saying that all mediators are on the side of the angels and therefore we’re all halo wearers, then I double checked Karl Agethon’s call sign on the reboot of Battlestar Galactica, it is of course Helo not Halo…frak it.


Nonetheless it’s the best link between work and geek sci-fi I’ve had for a while so I shall continue to reference the series (and it’s 70’s predecessor) unashamedly while I copy the link to this seminar which is being hosted by the actor who played Helo (Tahmoh Penikett). Tahmoh will be speaking about mediation and conflict resolution. Presumably referencing toasters, Adama’s rough and ready mediation approach and number 6 aka wife of God actor (and she who shares my birthday) Tricia Helfer….so say we all.


Getting away from the ties that bind, the entrenched positions that parties adopt is all part of the mediation discussion. Sometimes it is by taking the road less travelled, thinking outside the box that lead to revelations and ultimately daybreak in a dispute.


It took four series for the Galactica crew to reach an accommodation with the Cylons hopefully none of the mediaitons Northwest Mediation conducts feels quite that long but often it will feel like the parties have travelled a long way from where they started to the end point.



This next article a discussion with Daniel Spector about his move to mediation in trusts and estates practice (Northwest Mediation’s page for wills, inheritance and probate is here).


He will be working with Judicate West and he talks about his surprise at the recent (Californian) court of appeal decision in the Breslin case which we mentioned previously. In that case the judge ordered parties and non parties to mediation and held that if parties did not attend they could not object to the decision reached in mediation, the judgment bears reading for the reasoning itself even if you work this side of the pond.




The school wants to prevent the sale of a plot of land they use for outdoor classrooms and trail walking, which the council wants to sell and/or stop the school using the land as it prevents others gaining access until after 3pm. Although Jeb admits he’s not a trained mediator he thinks he can help find a solution.


I don’t baulk like some at non trained mediators entering the mediation arena (they were doing it long before any mediation councils existed) provided he comes with openness, is independent and helps the parties understand each other’s positions he should be able to assist. The problem with any mediation by a politician is of course if there is a perception of bias (even if none exists) in favour of one party or the other they must step away.


Chair of the trustees for the schoolboard Jason Gagnon said “Since Northeast Woodland moved into the Tech Village, the school has worked hard to be a good neighbour and keep open lines of communication. We are grateful to Senator Bradley for his offer to bring our two organisations together and continue to hold hope that we can work with the Mount Washington Valley Economic Council in pursuit of our shared goals.”


The three pillars of mediation remain it’s voluntary, it’s confidential, the mediator is independent, by using those pillars to support your work the parties keep control, save costs, save time and energy and reduce stress.


In person or via electronic media as we’ve said before choose to mediate early and resolve your issues effectively, timeously, and with less stress and costs than going to your solicitor so you can get out choose a different path, not quite the road less travelled but perhaps the path less adversarial. You have an interest in the outcome the sooner you get round the mediation table the quicker you can move forward and avoid the grilling a cross examination in court would put you through.


By having a deep and meaningful discussions with parties the mediator elicits what the true “red-lines” are and where there is the potential for compromise, it is with this structured period of reflection that the parties are then able to reach an accord.


The flexible nature of mediation and the possible outcomes make it an ideal way to resolve disputes in an ever-changing world and the open nature of discussions in mediation whilst remaining confidential allows all sides to engage fully in the process and understand the needs of all involved allowing parties to reach a conclusion which both sides can live with and move on.


There are so many situations which could have been resolved by early intervention of mediation it continues to surprise me the lengths the public will go to avoid referral.


Whether you need a mediator to help out with a construction matter in the Northwest, or council’s plans in Cheshire, a civil mediator in London, a commercial mediator in Manchester, a dispute resolution for your family in Liverpool, a neighbourhood mediation in Stockport, then our mediators at Northwest Mediation can help.


Mediation is cheaper, quicker and less stressful than running any case to court, it can help with any dispute whether it's an employment issue or the sale at an under value of a property, a fight with a neighbour, family issues, commercial disputes, civil mediation or inheritance, wills and probate arguments contact Northwest Mediation on 07931318347 or via email at ed.johnson@northwestmediation.co.uk

neighbour mediation; commercial dispute resolution; civil mediation; commercial dispute; corporate dispute; commercial mediator; family mediation; inheritance wills probate mediation; property mediator; civil mediator; civil litigation; fast track mediation; injury mediation


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