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crisis negotiatons, Developing the Field, Future of mediation, General, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Hong Kong, Interests, Intuition, mediation models, Mediation Practice, Negotiation, Skills, Social intelligence, Tactics, Training, Uncategorized

(Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /Leave a comment

Talking to Dr Gilbert Wong Senior Superintendent, Commanding Officer, Police Negotiation Cadre, Hong Kong Walking into Gilbert Wong’s office is like stumbling into Aladdin’s Cave – a treasure trove of memories and stories of his 21 years in the Hong Kong Police Force. Amongst his library of books on crisis negotiation, psychology, counselling, psychotherapy and…

Business, Developing the Field, Efficiency, Future of mediation, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), mediation as a career, Mediation Institutions and Rules, Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), National Mediation Laws, Public Policy, Uncategorized

(University of Strathclyde)/ /Leave a comment

Czech Innovation: “Mediation Assistants” Fascinating visit to the Czech Republic recently. I was asked to provide the training for a group of ‘mediation assistants’. Never having heard the term before I was intrigued. I flew to Prague (stag-night capital of Europe) and after a reasonably terrifying drive through a rainstorm arrived in in Hradec Králové,…

Business, Commercial Mediation, Communication, Confidentiality, Conflict, conlfict coaching, Conventional wisdom, Decision making, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Efficiency, Future of mediation, General, Impasse, Improvisation, International Mediation, mediation models, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation traditions, Mediators’ Conduct, Mentoring, Negotiation, Scotland, Skills, Stories, Success in mediation, Tips, Uncategorized

(Core Solutions Group)/ /Leave a comment

I write here about two contrasting experiences which have, for me, underscored the richness of the mediation process. In one mediation, involving business partners with an ongoing management issue, one of the protagonists (A) suggested bringing in another partner (D) who was not perceived to be a part of the present problem, simply to observe,…

Bias, Conventional wisdom, Court Procedure and Litigation, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, Legal Issues, Mediation Lawyering, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Uncategorized, Understanding mediation

(University of Strathclyde)/ /9 Comments

Intellectual life is beset by ‘gap’ problems. Philosophers wrestle with the ‘mind-body problem’: the gap between material and non-material aspects of human existence. All science can be construed as an attempt to bridge the gap between what is and what we can imagine: an inductive corrective to deductive supposition. Roger Cotterrell describes law’s gap problem…

Australia, Clients, Co-mediation, Commercial Mediation, Conventional wisdom, Future of mediation, General, Improvisation, mediation as a career, mediation models, Mediation Practice, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediators’ Conduct, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Skills, Training, Uncategorized

(Bill Marsh Mediator)/ /Leave a comment

The legendary cellist Pablo Casals was once asked why he continued to practice at the age of 90. “Because” he replied, “I think I’m making progress”. It is an extraordinary acknowledgement from a man widely regarded as one of the greatest ever cellists. Let’s be clear – Casals was a colossus in his world. Fritz…

Book Review, Business, Clients, Communication, Conflict, Conventional wisdom, Dispute Resolution, Efficiency, Future of mediation, General, Lawyers, Lawyers and Psychologists, Legal Practice, Litigation, Mediation Lawyering, Mediation Practice, mediation traditions, Mediators’ Conduct, Negotiation, Neuroscience, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Scotland, Skills, Social intelligence, Status, Transformation, Uncategorized, Understanding mediation

(Core Solutions Group)/ /2 Comments

I have been reflecting recently on the individual and collective professional journeys we all undertake – and on the different stages we reach. My reading has taken me to a thought-provoking book by theologian Richard Rohr, entitled Falling Upward. Rohr’s thesis, put very simply, is that there are two stages to life. The first, necessary,…

Causes of Conflict, Commercial Mediation, Conventional wisdom, Humorous Pieces, Stories, Tactics, Uncategorized

(Weiler ADR Inc.)/ /3 Comments

Story telling and humor are among the essential tools in any mediator’s kit. Of course, when it comes to humor, mediators learn early in their career that the self-deprecating variety is usually the safest choice. This turns out to be quite good for me since in my life there is no shortage of material to…

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(International Mediation Institute)/ /Leave a comment

In February 2014, the Litigation and Arbitration Practice of international law firm Hogan Lovells announced the findings of a survey they conducted among 146 senior lawyers and executives from among the world’s largest companies in 18 industries to assess how cross border disputes have affected the legal landscape. The survey’s findings reveal some interesting perspectives,…

ADR, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Court Procedure and Litigation, Developing the Field, Domestic Courts, Due Process, Efficiency, EU Directive on Mediation, EU Mediation Directive, Europe, European Law, Future of mediation, General, Governments/Public Sector, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), harmonisation of mediation law, International Mediation, Lawyers, Legislation, Litigation, Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), Mediation Schemes (In Courts, etc.), Mediation Users/Clients, National Mediation Laws, Public Policy, Uncategorized

(ADR Center)/ /Leave a comment

The recent publication of a study conducted for the European Parliament on Mediation, “Rebooting the Mediation Directive,” has contributed to the ongoing debate about effective mediation policy. I am the coordinator of that Study, whose results were based on 816 questionnaires completed by respondents from the 28 member states of the EU. The Study determined…