Former Hammonds litigation partner Charles Middleton-Smith left the partnership in May 2007 to sit fulltime as a mediator. Middleton-Smith, 57, remains with the firm as a consultant, becoming the City of London’s third mediator-consultant after David Shapiro and Philip Howell-Richardson at SJ Berwin.

Three months in, Middleton-Smith described the move from partner to consultant as ‘wonderful.’ ‘On a personal level,’ he added, ‘you lose the pressures which are associated with partnership and gain a lot of freedom, yet you are still in a situation where you’re part of a law firm and giving your wisdom on ADR matters internally.’

‘I don’t begrudge having been a litigator,’ he continued. ‘It was the right thing at the right time, but as you move into a different phase and become more experienced as a mediator, you realise that’s what you’re here for.’

While personal factors were influential in making the decision to switch roles, the timing of the move is also an acknowledgement of increasing competition in the field. ‘You need to catch the wave. With the mediation market in the way that it is – with increasing competition – you need to devote your energies to this kind of push at the right time,’ he said.

Middleton-Smith received accreditation through CEDR in 1997, and has mediated close to 100 disputes at the time of writing. His services as a mediator are sought after by City players among whom he is regarded as an effective mediator who is comfortable challenging sophisticated clients.