There was an interesting article published some weeks ago in Sunday Times. It was about couples who want, because of the mounting backlog in family court cases, to try and speed up their divorce by paying for a private judge. No doubt, marriages without children, arguments or disputes want to find the easy path to formalize and finalize their intention to get divorced. But, it is my experience that most families can cope with difficulties and agree settlements to difficult issues without contacting a Lawyer or a Court. Hire your own barrister, the article suggests, and it might be the way out from the dispute. Barristers, Lawyers or whatever you call them are expensive, especially if the parties hire one each!!! Is there any alternative? An alternative, which might be more productive and helpful to settle their dispute in a way which both parties might find to be a win-win result? The answer is YES. There is a better, often cheaper and more productive way of effecting a settlement which does not mean the cost of going to Law. Hiring a professional Mediator is the answer. What can you expect from a Mediator? The short answer is the confidential facilitation of an agreement between parties. A Mediator offers an unbiassed pair of ears that really listen. A Mediator helps parties find a solution to their problems by allowing them to find their own solutions, not one imposed by a Court or an outsider. It is their solution. A solution and a way forward that the parties can adhere to and agree to because it's their own solution facilitated by the Mediator. Its a common urban myth that the only real winners in legal disputes are the Lawyers and whilst contacting and utilizing a Mediator as early as possible may not be timesaving may appear expensive because a Mediator needs to spend time to gain a deep understanding of both parties positions, it can be less damaging. Furthermore, the impact is still greater and more promising because focusing, building, and creating agreement, not ruining a relationship might be very fruitful in the long term. This is especially true in cases when the divorce of a couple affects children, future grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family real and personal property BUT most importantly it damages people often for life. Don't burn the bridges in your life because you may want to cross them in the future. Contact a Mediator before contacting a solicitor.

Many of you have been working from home. Many of you have hated it. Many of you have loved it. Are many of you Bosses and HR Teams struggling to entice your work force out of the home? Many of you love your work but don't want to go back to the commute to the work place with all that entails. Home or hybrid are alternatives to the commute and office but its not always possible to get what you want and optimise people and organisational potential if there is a …."this is what it is ….. take it or leave it" There is always a "win win" position for all parties and in the work place the increasing use of Mediators over the past 10 years has proved that Teams at work perform better when everyone owns their own solutions to work based issues. This is especially so now with the abolition of the Furlough Scheme and the Big Return about to happen. Are you happy about going back. Are your staff happy about coming back? Mediators help parties find solutions to the problems in the Work Place by allowing you to find your own solutions, not solutions imposed by others, but your solution. It is their solution. A solution and a way forward that the parties can adhere to and agree to because it's your own solution facilitated by the Mediator. Oxleymediation - "mediation, not confrontation"