My approach

I am proactive and work tirelessly to ensure that parties settle.

I have spent my career as a partner in private practice and heading up commercial divisions, working as a top ranked senior in-house legal counsel. This has primarily involved closing deals with business partners and their legal teams, and preventing or resolving disputes. I have also litigated and mediated in the UK and abroad as a client. I understand legal issues and have a keen sense of competing commercial interests and the personal dynamics at play. That dual perspective can make a huge difference when it comes to making disputes settle speedily.

I handle a wide range of commercial cases as a mediator, including professional negligence, trust/probate, workplace, family and insurance related disputes. I also specialise in resolving entertainment, sport and brand licensing disputes.

I practise independently and through In Place of Strife and Berkeley Square Mediation. I provide mediation coaching and mediation advocacy and am also an IFTA Arbitrator.

Mediation can help law firms, especially where

A relationship client is more likely to thank you for avoiding litigation

You have concerns about a case but your client wants their ‘day in court’

The other party doesn’t understand your client’s business, or what is or isn’t possible and won’t listen to what you or your client has to say

You want to show your client you can deliver quick, impressive commercial results.

The absence of funding security makes litigation an unattractive proposition

Litigation may not the best option, e.g. where:

• a key client relationship could be jeopardised
• costs could be disproportionate, especially post-Jackson
• keeping a dispute private could be helpful
• concerns exist about the strength of a case, or witness performance
• deadlines or cashflow issues are involved
• a foreign jurisdiction is involved