Do mediators make better lawyers AT mediation? Lee Stutt thinks so

As specialist dispute resolution solicitors, we take outcomes of disputes seriously 

But not every dispute needs to be put in front of a judge; most are capable of resolution without that. Courts increasingly encourage parties in dispute to at least attempt a commercial mediation - to the point that in some cases it’s now practically mandatory

That much is common knowledge

However, the legal skills needed to, firstly, take a dispute forward progressively, secondly move it strategically from combative proceedings into a mediation environment where it has a very real chance of positive settlement, and thirdly, manage the process to the desired outcome, are less common

Mediators can work magic on intractable cases, cases where parties are at absolute loggerheads. By carefully asking the right questions and developing out parties’ real interests, solutions can be reached that go well beyond what the Court can award

But the methods of mediation are not magical or a mystery to us; they are part of the strategic use of processes to get an outcome

Lee Stutt is a Registered Mediator with the Civil Mediation Council. We doubt you’ll find anyone else nearby who’s dual qualified and practicing as both a commercial mediator and litigation solicitor. We’re able to provide a unique holistic dispute resolution approach because of this

And our clients benefit, because mediator competencies can be brought in when acting for clients in a mediation. So, we know how to provide the best support to clients and to a mediator, to get a result home

We know what preparation to make, and how to get the case into a position where, by the time of a mediation, it has an excellent chance of resolution

We know how a mediator thinks and approaches a dispute. 

We know how to tactically and patiently release information and offers on the big day

We don’t go into mediation aggressively (because that won’t allow any agreement), or timidly (because we don’t want our clients to be walked over)

Our approach is more refined and confident, because we know how the process works and how to best leverage it, not just for a settlement at any cost, but for a settlement that our clients can call a good outcome, the best available in any given situation, and probably a better one than the Court would have ordered

No other Cornwall-based firm can offer that

Get in touch to find out how we can help you get certainty and draw a line under that dispute