“...mediation ... is an integral part of litigation, and not simply ancillary to it....”
So said Lord Clarke Master of the Rolls when speaking at Littleton’s Annual Mediation Seminar in 2009.
We agree. Littleton was the first set of barristers’ chambers to offer a mediation service. The expertise of Littleton’s barrister mediators is derived from their vast range of collective experience of the litigation process covering employment, company and commercial, professional negligence, defamation, sports law, public law, financial services, banking, commercial fraud, partnership and joint ventures, landlord and tenant, building and construction, contentious probate. All Littleton Mediators have the ability to assimilate complex cases and to use their experience as litigators and mediators to assist parties to resolve disputes (however complex or apparently intractable) without the risk and cost of going to trial. Our charges are very competitive.
These are typical examples of the feedback for Littleton Mediators:
· ‘Clearly extremely thoroughly prepared. Relaxed and confident approach inspired confidence in my clients. Thoughtful approach to the format of the day was very much appreciated.”
· "I found his knowledge of the subject matter of the dispute to be unparalleled, when compared with other mediators I have used for such relatively weighty matters. His insistent and probing style, and his ability to advance the situation when faced with some quite obvious obstacles proved excellent."
· “Thank you for an outstanding job of successfully mediating our dispute, I can say without qualification that the litigation settled because of your skill, patience, and creativity, not to mention your ability to reach to the heart of the case and getting us all talking.”
Philip Bartle QC, Richard Price QC and Colin Manning are listed in both Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners. Profiles of all of our individual mediators can be seen by following the links on the left of this page.
Littleton Mediators often conduct mediations where one or more of the parties instructs other Littleton barristers. Chambers’ well-established information barriers apply to these mediations as they do when Littleton barristers are on opposite sides.
Littleton operates an Urgent Mediation Unit which provides experienced mediators at very short notice to mediate in situations where parties are on the brink of committing themselves to expensive interim proceedings, usually in the employment field.
In addition to “ordinary” mediation, Littleton can provide “Early Neutral Evaluation” a non binding assessment of the likely eventual outcome of the litigation.
Littleton Mediators provide their services through Littleton Dispute Resolution Services Limited. LDRS does not make any separate charge for administration which is handled from within the Littleton clerks’ room but by specialist clerks within the clerking team, Tim Tarring and Megan Parker. Speed, flexibility and ease of access are emphasised. Typical examples of feedback about the administration of mediations are:
· “Very efficient and helpful”;
· “Easy to use and helpful”;
· “Everything was planned smoothly and we were grateful to you for fitting us in at short notice”;
· “Very good. Helpful and friendly”.
Littleton mediators regularly give seminars and training to solicitors and others in the UK and abroad to raise the awareness of the availability of alternative dispute resolution and to guide representatives as to how to approach and conduct mediations on behalf of their clients. Highlight of the year is Littleton’s Annual Mediation Seminar. Lord Clarke, then Master of the Rolls, delivered the keynote address to the 2009 event and his speech can be read here. Details of the date and programme of the 2010 seminar will be announced shortly.
If you want to know more about the Mediation process, including speaking to a Littleton Mediator, then please contact Tim or Megan. For a straightforward guide to the process of instructing a Littleton Mediator follow this link and for an application form follow this link.
