Mediation

Course overview

How can you determine the right moment to mediate? What does it take to manage complex negotiations effectively, while navigating ethical challenges and psychological dynamics? This course offers a deep dive into the evolving field of mediation, blending theory with practical application to address these critical questions.  
 
Designed for practitioners, judges, and academics, the course explores key aspects of mediation, including preparation strategies, facilitation techniques, and the interplay between psychology and ethics. It also examines international developments, such as the Singapore Convention on Mediation and its growing influence on cross-border dispute resolution.  
 
Mediation is increasingly recognised as a preferred alternative to litigation, with jurisdictions worldwide embracing mandatory mediation policies. In England and Wales, recent reforms allow courts to compel parties to mediate, making mediation expertise more essential than ever. The Singapore Convention, now in force, is transforming international mediation by standardising enforcement mechanisms, further underscoring the importance of understanding how mediation intersects with arbitration.  
 
Whether you are already engaged in mediation or preparing to navigate its complexities, this course offers the knowledge and skills needed to excel in this critical area of dispute resolution.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, participants will:

• Understand when and why mediation is appropriate, including mandatory and court-ordered mediation.
• Develop strategies for preparing effectively for mediation, whether in-person or online.
• Acquire skills to facilitate complex mediations, including multi-party disputes.
• Gain insights into the psychological and ethical dimensions of mediation.
• Comprehend the implications of the Singapore Convention and the relationship between mediation and arbitration.

Who is this course for?

This course will appeal to:

• Practitioners: Lawyers, mediators, and dispute resolution professionals seeking to refine their skills.
• Judges: Those ordering or supervising mediations or considering mediation’s role in judicial processes.
• Academics: Researchers and educators interested in mediation and ADR developments.

Whether you are an experienced mediator or new to the field, this course offers valuable perspectives and tools tailored to your professional needs.

Benefits for you

• Practical Expertise: Enhance your mediation skills with cutting-edge strategies and techniques.
• Global Insight: Stay ahead of international trends, including the Singapore Convention and its impact.
• Professional Growth: Boost your confidence in managing complex mediations and ethical dilemmas.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with leading professionals and peers from around the world.

Benefits for your organisation

• Improved Dispute Resolution: Equip your team to handle mediations more effectively, ensuring better outcomes.
• Strategic Advantage: Position your organisation as a leader in adopting modern mediation practices.
• Judicial Innovation: For courts and institutions, meet the growing demand for mediation expertise and compliance with new legal frameworks.
• Enhanced Reputation: Showcase your organisation’s commitment to ethical and innovative dispute resolution.

Content 

Key topics

Day 1: Preparing for a Mediation

• Deciding when to mediate: voluntary vs. mandatory mediation.
• Preparing effectively for mediation, considering in-person and online formats.

Day 2: Mediation Psychology and Ethics

• Understanding psychological dynamics affecting parties and mediators.
• Navigating ethical challenges and adhering to professional codes of conduct.

Day 3: Facilitating a Mediation

• Addressing practical challenges in mediation, including multi-party disputes.
• Building trust, identifying settlement options, and concluding mediations effectively.

Day 4: The Singapore Convention and International Mediation

• Exploring the Singapore Convention’s role in international mediation agreements.
• Examining the interplay between mediation, arbitration, and hybrid processes like Med-Arb.

Course structure and assessments

Delegates will receive four hours of lectures/ seminars each day. There will therefore be a total of 16 hours of classroom teaching over the four days. There will be no assessment but delegates will receive a certificate of completion provided that they attend at least 12 hours (75%) of classes.  

Teaching staff

Dr John Sorabji
John is an Associate Professor of Law at UCL, specializing in Alternative Dispute Resolution and Civil Justice. He is a member of the Civil Justice Council, co-chairing its review of litigation funding, and a Visiting Professor at Université Pantheon-Assas, lecturing on English civil justice. 

John has authored 'English Civil Justice after Woolf and Jackson' and 'A Model Code of Civil Procedure for England and Wales (2024)'. He is General Editor of 'Civil Procedure (The White Book)' and 'Foskett on Compromise' and contributes to leading legal texts such as 'Zuckerman on Civil Procedure'. Outside academia, he was Deputy Private Secretary to HM King Charles III and Principal Legal Adviser to the Lord Chief Justice, advising on constitutional and judicial governance issues, court reform, and civil justice digitisation.

Dr Anna Howard
Dr. Anna Howard is a lawyer, mediator, and researcher with over 20 years of experience in legal practice, teaching, and dispute resolution. Her work focuses on mediation and investor-state dispute settlement, and her book, 'EU Cross-Border Commercial Mediation: Listening to Disputants' (2021), has been widely acclaimed, including citations by the UNCITRAL Secretariat. Since 2023, Anna has supported Lord Neuberger and Bill Marsh on complex, multi-party mediations.

A sought-after international speaker, Anna has presented at institutions such as Oxford University and the UNCITRAL Academy. She began her career in competition law at Freshfields and Fieldfisher before earning a PhD at Queen Mary University of London. Anna studied Modern Languages at Oxford and practices mediation alongside her academic work.

Tony Allen
Tony is a renowned mediator specialising in clinical negligence, personal injury, and related disputes, with a career spanning over 500 mediations. A pioneer in these areas, Tony is widely regarded for his expertise, including work on complex group litigation claims such as the retained organs litigation and high-profile workplace stress disputes. His practice also includes challenging right-to-life, treatment choice, and judicial review cases, alongside commercial claims involving professional partnerships, property, and international parties. 

A former solicitor with over 30 years’ experience, Tony became a full-time CEDR Director in 2000 before transitioning to independent practice in 2011. An acclaimed author, his works include 'Mediation Law and Civil Practice' and 'Mediating Clinical Claims', both published by Bloomsbury Professional.

Heather Allen
Heather is an experienced mediator, barrister, and founding member of the CEDR Chambers Practice Group, with a career spanning over 25 years. She specialises in resolving complex disputes across sectors, including contractual claims, employment conflicts, professional indemnity cases, and sensitive clinical negligence claims. Known for her expertise in addressing power imbalances and interpersonal conflict, Heather has mediated high-stakes shareholder and boardroom disputes, as well as acrimonious inheritance cases. 

A skilled trainer and international consultant, Heather has worked in over 20 countries and continues to teach mediation globally. Recognised by 'Chambers' and 'Legal 500' as a leading mediator, she is also a member of CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals in Europe.

Professor Masood Ahmed
Masood Ahmed is an Associate Professor of Law at the University of Leicester, specialising in civil justice systems, procedural law, ADR, and international commercial arbitration. A Cambridge graduate and qualified solicitor, he practiced commercial dispute resolution before transitioning to academia. Masood has published extensively in leading international journals and is co-authoring the second edition of 'Arbitration of Commercial Disputes' (OUP, 2025) and co-editing 'The Place of Mediation within the Modern Civil Justice System' (Elgar, 2024).

A former member of the Civil Procedure Rule Committee, Masood contributed to key reforms, including Online Civil Money Claims and ADR integration. He advises HMCTS, the Ministry of Justice, and the Civil Justice Council and is a Research Fellow on the 'Affordable Access to Justice' project.