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Howell-Richardson to join Independent Mediators Print E-mail
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Leading mediator and former chairman of the ADR Group, Phillip Howell-Richardson, is to join Independent Mediators on 1 March 2010, following a five-year stint at City law firm SJ Berwin. The move brings Independent Mediators' total to six mediators, all of whom are recognised as market leaders by The Legal 500.

 

Commenting on his decision to leave an established City law firm in favour of a virtual chambers established only three years ago, Howell-Richardson was succinct: "I want to take the chance to get out on my own and to create more time to work with a wider spread of solicitors and clients so that I can increase the number and range of the mediations I do."

 

A former senior partner at Morgan Cole in Cardiff, and latterly London, Howell-Richardson's move to SJ Berwin in 2005 signalled a shift in his practice towards City and international work. Underlying the latest move is a wish to tie together the two strands of his career.  "I will continue to undertake international and City based mediations, they bring challenges I enjoy, but I would like also to be more readily available to those regional firms who instructed me in the past " he said.

 

His move is the latest high-profile endorsement of the chambers model, and of Independent Mediators in particular. The organisation is now home to half of the Legal 500's top-tier mediators, and represents the market's greatest concentration of quality.

 

While describing the "law firm consultancy model" as very good for the firm, the tie-up with Independent Mediators will relieve Howell-Richardson of much of the admin he currently handles personally. "At the moment, working in this way, I do everything. From initial calls to follow through, from top to bottom. It's great to have that taken away and to concentrate on mediation, and that is a significant plus."

 

Howell-Richardson, 59, rubbishes any suggestion that the move is a shift towards retirement: "No way," he says. "I've no interest whatsoever in retiring.  The new position will give me more time and greater opportunities to develop my mediation practice"

 

Howell-Richardson will remain available to SJ Berwin as an ADR consultant and will continue to support the firm in its ADR activities.
 
Nesic & Boulle deliver another seminal text Print E-mail
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Mediation SKills Book CoverLaurence Boulle and Miryana Nesic, authors of Butterworths' renowned ADR text "Mediation: Principles, Process, Practice" have brought out a new text aimed at ADR training organisations and practitioners. The book, "Mediation Techniques: Triangle of Influence" came out in December. Talking to The Mediator Magazine, author Miryana described the book as a "a skills book - a how to - with checklists, exercises and appendices." "It's very much a practical book rather than a theory/legal/policy review," she says.

 

A review of the book on YouTube by Phillip Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers is available here.

 

A flyer is available here.
 
Legal 500 Submission Deadline: 19 February Print E-mail
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Those interested in submitting details of their mediation practice for consideration in the 2010 edition of The Legal 500, are invited to do before 19 February. Publishers Legalease Ltd have set out mediation-specific submission guidelines for the first time this year. Copies are available here:

 

http://www.legal500.com/assets/images/research/guidelines_mediators.pdf

 

Research will be ongoing during March and April prior to publication in September 2010.
 
Firms to Advertise Appointments Print E-mail
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A new online information resource for the dispute resolution community promises users a smarter way to get better service and better value from mediators.
DisputesLoop.com will formally launch in January 2010. While functioning as a social network, the site champions transparency and accountability through open competition and peer review.
“Advertising appointments in the manner proposed will not only protect firms from accusations of propping up an oligarchy, but will save the time, cost and effort of a headhunting exercise,” according to founder Matthew Rushton. “Doing so will free up lawyers to deploy their expertise in areas where they can add value.”
 
CMC Consultation Questionnaire 2009 Print E-mail
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Dear Friends and Colleagues,
 
One of the most exciting developments in the law over the last twenty years has been the growth of the use of mediation as a means of resolving disputes quickly, cheaply and effectively. This is not only a legal development: community, workplace and neighbourhood mediation have also become well established and often have nothing at all to do with litigation or legal issues.

Six years ago the Civil Mediation Council was established to foster that growth and to act as a voice for the civil mediation community in its dealings with government and the public. Since then there has been a steady growth in the use of mediation as more and more people have experienced its value. To give just one example, mediation is now provided free of charge in over 8,000 small claims court cases each year by trained mediators employed by HM Courts Service.  Figures provided to the Council this year suggest that the number of heavier civil or commercial mediations carried out in England and Wales increased again sharply in 2008.  The paid up membership of the CMC, of both individual mediators and providers, has risen significantly in the last 12 months.

We want to move forward now, and to this end the CMC and the cause of civil mediation generally asks for your help.

I attach below a link to an on-line survey we are conducting as part of a major ongoing consultation exercise.   

We ask our members and the mediation community generally to try to ensure the widest possible circulation of this email and the link. We believe this exercise to be very important, and we are keen to canvass the views not only of mediators and mediation providers but also of clients, lawyers, judges and as many other people who are involved in the world of mediation as possible.  

It may even be that you will receive this email more than once. If this does happen I apologise.  

The questionnaire deals with various issues of policy and principle that will affect the CMC’s future work and decide our priorities. We will greatly value your reply.  

So if you are
  • A mediator
  • A mediation provider

Please complete the survey and make sure that this email and the link below get the widest possible circulation among
  • Users of mediation
  • Consumer organisations, trade unions and business associations
  • The courts
  • The legal profession
  • Academics and researchers

We want all of you to take part.

The link for the questionnaire is:

 
If you would like to know more about mediation or the work of the Civil Mediation Council please visit our website at www.civilmediation.org. 

HENRY BROOKE

Sir Henry Brooke

Chairman

Civil Mediation Council 
 
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