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Writer's pictureEd Johnson

Path finding in mediation

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.



As we begin to see a path through the next phase (not last) of the pandemic chief planning officer Joanna Averley has confirmed the use of mediation in the PINS (planning inspectorate) enforcement cases.


The trial project, which is indeed named Pathfinder, will monitor whether mediation speeds up the process and concludes matters with less stress and cost (I don’t suppose I need to add a spoiler alert that it will!).


I’m old enough that Dallas to me means South Fork and the nefarious doings of the Ewing family, that family could have done with some serious civil and family mediation in their disputes with Cliff Barnes and…I’ve said too much haven’t I?


Anyway Dallas also has some real need for mediation and there are a group of former gang members who are working with communities on dispute resolution for those who might find themselves involved or tempted to be involved in violent crime.


The Dallas Cred team was given the full support of the city council, headed by Mayor Eric Johnson (no relation).


Mar Butler the director of the project said "What we are is we are people who offer alternatives to violent behaviour because not everyone responds to violence the same way. So the model that we have been trained under is to go in and offer resources, help, care, concern, whatever is needed so that a person can think differently about having different options… Our job is specifically to go in and be proactive before the fact, before the act is concerned. And so that’s what we’ve been here”

The Dallas Cred team have been working with the police to assist in that proactive approach.


"Through Chief Eddie Garcia, they have been very cooperative in knowing everyone who is in these communities does not go around looking for someone to shoot or looking for crime…Not everyone responds to pain the same way. And so some people actually need options but they don’t know exactly where to get them. Our job is to go into those neighbourhoods and not only tell them how to get the help but we help them to find it and deliver it to them as well."


The group see the disparity in education and welfare that leads individuals into crime and aim to steer them clear of that path by relating to them and exploring possible options and outcomes.


Mediation is well recognised when marriages are dissolving but in Singapore there’s a mediation service available before you begin down the married path (particularly if your wedding has been delayed or cancelled due to the effects of the pandemic).


The Ministry of Law has announced a free to use service (if both parties agree) for not only the wedding couples but the vendors and facility providers involved.


The Ministry acknowledge that there had been difficulties due to the ever changing restrictions and that whilst some parties were able to reach an agreement on rescheduling others had not been able to find a way forward. The Ministry has therefore put in place a protocol for the parties to request a mediator to assist in resolving those other disputes which cannot find a solution on their own.


Provided there is an actual contract and the wedding was due between 8/5/21 and 31/7/21 the mediator will be paid for by the state. If only one party requests mediation (as in most cases) the other party will receive notification and be invited to agree to engage in the process.


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 choose a different path, not quite the road less travelled but perhaps also not the long and winding road of litigation.


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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