Mediation Services at Westminster Lawyers

Our three Directors, Michael Lefebvre, Julian McDonald and Tony Salce are all accredited AIFLAM mediators and regularly assist parties to mediate their disputes without the need for Court proccedings. Our services are also available to parties who wish to mediate without being represented by their own lawyers.

Mediation is a simple and comparatively inexpensive form of alternate dispute resolution. Even where matters are the subject of Court proceedings, parties are often referred to a mediator for the purpose of exploring settlement options.

The object of mediation is to assist disputing parties to focus on their problem, discuss options for resolution and, if possible, agree upon a solution.

Mediation is a private process and everything that is said in mediation is confidential. A mediator cannot reveal what the parties have said in mediation except in some limited circumstances, for example where the law requires that certain information such as child abuse be reported.

Our mediators rely on their extensive professional experience in Family Law and have the skill and training to guide parties towards settlement.

There are a number of advantages that mediation has over other forms of dispute resolution including:

Open communication – mediation allows disputing parties to communicate with one another in a constructive and positive environment controlled by the mediator without the formality of Court procedures.
Time saving – mediation is an efficient process that usually takes place over one day and gives disputing parties a shorter time frame in which to resolve disputes. Unlike a crowded Court list, mediation conferences are organised at times which are convenient to the parties.
Cost effective – mediation is a relatively inexpensive process without ongoing litigation costs such as Barristers’ fees, filing fees or witness expenses.
Confidentiality – mediation conferences are held privately and are conducted on a “without prejudice” basis which encourages negotiations.
Flexibility – mediation conferences are conducted without formal protocol and procedures and wider opportunities can be discussed to achieve solutions.
Client satisfaction – in mediation only the parties and not a Judge or their lawyers make the decisions.
Future relationships – mediation assists the parties to maintain their existing relationship with one another. Often where disputes are litigated existing relationships are damaged beyond repair.