In conjucntion with law firm Hammonds and the Standing Conference of Mediation Advocates, the Mediator Magazine today publishes a new, 26-page report on mediation advocacy techniques. Entitled Effective Mediation Advocacy, the report is the brainchild of Hammonds consultant Charles Middleton-Smith and comprises the thoughts and observations of a dozen leading mediators as to what differentiates advocates who get the best outcomes for their clients and those who don't.

Convention has it that inviting a judge to sit as a mediator is like asking a pyromaniac to run an oil refinery. Barristers, likewise, can be equally controversial. In a career that has defied convention, barrister turned in-house advocate, turned mediator, turned part-time judge, Leeds's Patrick Walker has crossed the legal profession's boundaries with notable aplomb (and finds mediation most rewarding). Here's why...