Peter Crossley

With over 20 years’ experience as a commercial litigation partner in the City of London, there are few areas of dispute that Peter has not encountered.  His mediation practice covers a wide-range of disputes and Peter is developing a reputation for his ability to bring even the most entrenched litigants together.

Peter’s entire professional career has been focused on resolving conflicts and disputes, initially in Court litigation and then International Arbitration. He has a wealth of experience of what it is like to be acting for one of the parties in mediations – lending a full appreciation of the real dynamic involved in such a process. This has given him an ability as a mediator to dissipate negativity with positive calm, an appropriate authority but always deploying a light touch.

In Peter’s leadership roles within a global law firm (Head of Litigation, then European and Middle East Managing Partner) he has huge experience in working with a diverse range of personalities and cultures to achieve a common goal. These roles also involved building consensus through effective teamwork, despite personal differences. Such skills are core to positive outcomes as a mediator.

Peter qualified as a mediator in May 1998 and has since had a wide experience of the process both as mediator and as instructing solicitor. As a mediator he has handled a number of mediations with a high rate of settlement.  His belief in mediation as a highly suitable and successful form of dispute resolution has led him to become a full-time mediator.

Peter brings a huge wealth of commercial litigation experience to his role as a mediator. In particular, he has experience of the following:

Contractual warranty claims, in particular for the heavy/light engineering sector;

Shareholder, Director and Partnership disputes;

International sales of goods and distribution agreement disputes;

Fraud work and compliance and regulatory disputes;

Professional negligence claims particularly those involving accountants or solicitors.

Please get in touch for further information.

As a senior litigator lawyer and former law firm Managing Partner, Peter takes a pro-active and ‘hands on’ approach to resolving disputes.  He is known for his ability to understand people and build positive relationships of trust no matter how difficult and challenging the circumstances.

He is a pre-eminent problem solver including in particular where difficulties arises because of challenging business relationships between people.

After many years as a litigator and solicitor-advocate, Peter recognizes the vital importance of enabling parties to settle disputes as early and cost-effectively as possible.  His senior management experience gives him a key ability to find innovative solutions to even the most intractable problems.

Breach of contract

Commercial agency, EU regulations & distribution agreements

Commercial contracts

Commodities

Compliance and regulatory disputes

Contractual warranty claims, in particular for the heavy/light engineering sector

Corporate recovery

Cross-border & international

Distribution, agency & licensing

Energy, oil and gas

Engineering

Financial services

Fraud, deceit & conversion

Insolvency

Insurance

International sales of goods and distribution agreement disputes

International trade & shipping

Manufacturing

Partnership disputes

Professional negligence

Property/construction

Shareholder and Director disputes

Sale of goods and services

Undue Influence

2011-2016 Squire Patton Boggs European and Middle East Managing Partner

2004 Elected Managing Partner Hammonds

1992 - 2010 Solicitor and Partner Hammonds

1989–1992 Solicitor at Richards Butler

Other experience

Peter regularly conducts mediation training. He has addressed a number of conferences on ADR and Mediation including handling a seminar at CEDR’s 10th Anniversary Conference and at the Law Society’s Civil Litigation Conferences.

1998 – CEDR qualified mediator

1995 – Partner at Hammonds

1989 – Qualified as a solicitor - England & Wales

1984 – Qualified as a solicitor – South Africa

Legal 500, 2026:

Peter Crossley at IPOS Mediation is 'a calm mediator who quickly builds rapport with all parties, and truly goes above and beyond to help them reach satisfactory resolution. His commitment and dedication to achieving positive outcomes are exemplary’. Qualifying as a mediator in 1998, Crossley’s expertise ranges from engineering sector-related contractual warranty claims and director and partnership disputes, to fraud, professional negligence, and international sales of goods and distribution agreement conflicts.

Legal 500, 2025:

Peter Crossley is ’a problem solver, taking a hands-on approach to mediation and expertly managing some very difficult personalities and dynamics‘. A mediator for over 25 years, Crossley’s experience covers fraud, contractual warranty claims, international sales of goods and distribution agreements, and professional negligence, as well as shareholder, director and partnership disputes.

Legal 500, 2024:

Peter Crossley is ‘calm under pressure and able to manage difficult parties‘. Mediating for over 25 years, Crossley’s recent caseload includes a joint venture-related dispute between two lifelong friends.

Sport (particularly cricket, football and rugby but mostly now as a spectator), fell walking, reading and church.  Peter is a Trust Governor of The Crossley Heath School in Halifax.

"I thought you handled a difficult mediation very well. It could have been a horrible day for my client and she has come out of the process relatively content, which I think counts as proof of the sensitivity with which you treated her. Thank you. Practically speaking, it also shows that e-mediation can be just as effective as face-to-face." Associate, City Law firm, April 2020

"Peter Crossley was a excellent mediator, who not only put my client at ease and guided them through the process, but who also was of great assistance during the course of the day in very challenging circumstances." Senior Associate, City Law Firm, May 2024

"The mediator was excellent. His thorough overview of the mediation process to initiate the plenary discussion provided a useful indication of what to expect for all those involved and ensured the day progressed in a structured manner. He quickly brought himself up to speed on the underlying issues, built good rapport with all the parties throughout the course of the day, and was personable. He facilitated a settlement in a difficult mediation." Legal Director, City Law Firm, January 2024

"Peter was great to work with at the mediation, was good company, created exactly the right atmosphere and facilitated a very good settlement." Partner, City Law Firm, December 2023

"Tenacity personified. Peter pushed on through when many would have given up on the parties." (July 2023)

"Peter truly went above and beyond to help the parties reach a satisfactory resolution of this matter. His commitment and dedication to achieving a positive outcome were exemplary throughout. Although the parties were unable to reach a settlement on the mediation day itself, Peter helped them to make significant progress. His patient and steady hand in the subsequent negotiations, where one settlement term became particularly knotty, was key to reaching a successful resolution. It was clear that he gained the respect and confidence of the parties, and his generosity in offering to continue to work with the parties post-mediation without further charge was greatly appreciated by both my client and me. Peter was a true professional. He is also the first mediator I have worked with who proposed speaking to the parties directly prior to the mediation day, which no doubt helped him to gain a direct insight into how they may approach the mediation, and was further evidence of his willingness to leave no stone unturned in order to facilitate settlement. We are extremely grateful for his assistance."

Solicitor, Law Firm, Sept 2022

"Thank you so much for your efforts over a long day yesterday, ultimately achieving a settlement.  Please accept my compliments on your style and energy.  I shall certainly be asking for your services again should the opportunity present."

Solicitor, Law firm Oct 2018

"Many thanks for your help in resolving matters yesterday – we would not have gotten close without you!  Hopefully our paths will cross in the very near future."

Partner, City Law firm Oct 2018

"Peter was first class. We would definitely use him and In place of strife again. He helped the parties reach a commercial settlement, was understanding, commercial, professional and humorous. Would recommend Peter and would most definitely instruct him again."

Solicitor, Regional Law firm Oct 2018

"Very professional, dealt with the issues at hand and focused the claimant's attention on the possibility of settlement."

City law firm, August 2018

"Excellent, we felt that obviously a settlement would be difficult, but the mediator clearly worked hard on both sides to drive a deal."

International law firm, April 2018

"Peter was excellent and tried very hard to make the parties see the risks of proceeding to trial. I would certainly recommend him."

Solicitor, City law firm