Commercial Mediation, Conventional wisdom, Creativity, Efficiency, Future of mediation, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), harmonisation of mediation law, Hong Kong, International Courts, International Law, International Legal Theory and Teaching, International Mediation, Lawyers, Lawyers and Psychologists, mediation as a career, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), mediation traditions, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediators’ Conduct, Memory and Illusions, Mentoring, Mistakes, Singapore, Standards, Status, Stories, Success in mediation, Switzerland, Understanding mediation, War Stories

(Brick Court Chambers / Clifton Chambers)/ /Leave a comment

Having last week returned to New Zealand from Singapore where I was honoured take part in the launch of the ICC Mediation Rules, I saw first hand the support for mediation in Singapore from powerful institutions like the Singapore Judiciary and the Ministry of Law. Singapore, and my guess is Asia in general, is in the…

Commercial Mediation, Communication, Cross-cultural

(Mediar360 - Dispute Resolution )/ /Leave a comment

It is not an April Fool´s Day hoax. On April first 2014, Brazil will effectively become the 79th country to adopt the United Nations’ Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (also known as CISG(*)). Although Brazil already adopts several principles of the Convention, this is, no doubt, a great step forward, as…

Arbitration, Confidentiality, Court Procedure and Litigation, Enforcement, Med-Arb Clauses, Settlement Agreements

(Weiler ADR Inc.)/ /3 Comments

The recent Ontario Superior Court decision of Healy J. in Southlake Regional Health Centre v. Beswick Group Properties touches on a number of issues arising from settlement at mediation. Briefly, this was a landlord and tenant dispute relating to a Medical Arts Building and other development lands. The full factual background can be read by…

Uncategorized

(Mediation Resolution International, LLC)/ /Leave a comment

Have you ever wondered why the construction industry is still saddled with its culture of adversity, contractual conflict and a “who’s to blame” attitude? Or what causes job disputes to quickly escalate into full-blown claims despite the well intentioned calming efforts of the site managers? The seeds of construction disputes are planted during the formation…

Legislation

(Corporate counsel & author)/ /Leave a comment

As usual, Confucius said it first: Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated. This truism is becoming increasingly applicable to mediation law. Take England & Wales for example. In just 20 years, court judgments, procedural rules, orders, cost implications, practice directions, policy statements and other reforms have mushroomed, and keep growing….

EU Mediation Directive, Europe, Future of mediation, Regulation, Standards, Training

(Sabine Walsh Mediation)/ /Leave a comment

As we in Ireland wait…and wait for our promised mediation legislation one of the topics that featured strongly in the consultative process which preceded drafting of our mediation bill was mediator certification and regulation. Confronted with rather vague requirements not extending beyond mediators giving clients evidence of their qualifications, if requested, in the drafts heads…

Conventional wisdom, Lawyers, Mediation Lawyering, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediators’ Conduct, Mentoring, Stages of mediation

(Brick Court Chambers / Clifton Chambers)/ /2 Comments

Regular readers of this blog may recall my 10 tips for participants who took part in the recent ICC Commercial Mediation Competition held in Paris – a wonderful time was had by all but that’s for another post. One of those tips was about keeping it real and suggesting a ‘steel fist inside a velvet glove’…