accreditations & partnerships
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Chambers and Partners UK 2018 has been published today recognising 19 members of In Place of Strife's panel as leading mediators. It is a testament to the breadth and expertise of our panel that so many members are so highly rated.
What Chambers and Partners 2018 says about our mediators:
-Stuart Chapman is a popular mediator who impresses with his
"innovative solutions to ease the tension, and his evidently measured and impartial professionalism."
Heis experienced in property, chancery and commercial disputes, as well as professional negligence cases ranging from small to multimillion-pound claims. One market commentator reports:
"He was prepared, professional and able to adapt his style to the dynamics of the dispute and tothe personalities involved."
-The
"pre-eminent"
Mark Jackson-Stops has deep experience in commercial claims, particularly those involving insurance, professional negligence and property elements. One source comments:
"Mark was effortlessly superb. He generates an atmosphere that is calm and reassuring. He engages with you fully and keeps the clients and lawyers focused on the real issues of the case."
-The
"adroit and inventive"
Jon Lang is a highly regarded mediator with experience across a broad spectrum of commercial areas, including banking, insolvency, partnership and property. Oneobserver comments:
"Jon has an unassuming demeanour, but this belies his toughness and resilience. He works hard to ensure the parties maximise the opportunity to settle."
His mediation practice is seeing an increase in multiparty and multi-jurisdictional cases.
-Beverly-Ann Rogers is an experienced and highly accomplished mediator who specialises in chancery disputes, including those concerning probate, company, partnership and trust issues. She also mediates commercial, employment and professional negligence claims.
-Quentin Smith is
"informal and deal-focused,"
according to one source, who adds that
"he understands people and what gets them to a deal."
He is well suited to mediating disputes concerningcommercial issues such as property, employment and insurance.One observer notes:
"He prepares thoroughly and ison top of everything. He has a good manner, understands the issues and gets cases over the line at mediation."
-Patrick Walker is a widely respected mediator with a real estate litigation background whose practice covers a range of commercial matters. He is regularly instructed to mediate disputes involving professional negligence, construction, M&A and fraud elements. One commentator reports that he is
"thoughtful, diligent and always determined to get a result."
Another attests:
"He is easy to get along with and stuck at it when my client was ready to throw the towel in. Patrick is relaxed and approachable but also candid and robust."
-Stephen Ruttle QC is a
"hugely likeable and enthusiastic"
mediator who attracts acclaim for his experience handling high-value commercial disputes, particularly those involving high net worth individuals. He is often appointed in banking, insurance, shipping and construction disputes. One commentator reports:
"He not only understands the legal issues but also the underlying emotional issues. Hecan work with those to significantly move parties closer togetherin situations in which that had not been thought possible."
-The
"intelligent and effective"
Tony Willis stands out in the market for his immense experience. He has notable expertise in professional negligence claims, construction and engineering disputes, as well as cases in the energy sector.
-Christopher Fitton is an experienced mediator who receives regular instructions from law firms and insurers to deal with high-value claims. He ably deals with a wide range ofdisputes, including thoseinvolving commercial contracts, financial services, professional negligence and insurance.
-Lawrence Kershen QC is an experienced full-time mediator whose background as an advocate in civil, commercial and criminal litigation gives him a strong base for his ADR practice. He has been appointed on a number of complex disputes arising from commercial contracts, construction, property, IP and professional negligence. He is admiredby one commentator for
"his even-handedness, his gravity and, at the same time, his approachability,"
and by another for
"always appearing patient and willing to listen, and keeping the parties focused on the issues."
-Charles Middleton-Smith provides a wealth of experience in mediation matters, including professional negligence claims, significant commercial disputes and probate cases. He is also regularly instructed to mediate disputes in the media, entertainment and arts arenas. One source reports:
"Mr Middleton-Smith performed his role with great professionalism, calmness and focus. He took a very commercial approach to resolving the issues between the parties."
-Alistair Pye is a mediator with considerable experience in construction and property-related disputes. He has additional experience in professional negligence and insurance matters. Sources admire his
"friendly and intelligent"
manner, with one adding:
"Alistair is a fantastic mediator, who gets to grips with the issues in dispute quickly, will challenge the parties and will bring them back together to achieve a settlement."
-David Richbell is
"very experienced and commercial, and really gets to the heart of the problem,"
according to one source, who adds:
"He gets people to look at the reality and commercialityof the case."
His broad practice incorporates expertise insophisticated construction and engineering disputes.Another source highlights that
"he is very relationship-orientated in his mediation approach and is vastly experienced."
-Elizabeth Birch is able to draw upon years of mediation expertise in the resolution of disputes in a broad range of areas includingshipping, oil andgas, banking and finance and insurance.She has experience in sophisticated multiparty and international disputes.
-Respectedmediator Amanda Bucklow is experienced in mediating a large variety of cases, with noted expertise in employment disputes regarding dismissal and discrimination. Her international practice alsotakes inclaims involving property, professional negligence and public sector issues. She is
"charming and engaging,"
according to onesource, who adds that she is
"particularly useful in cases involving complex personalities, which she can read like a book."
-Charles Flint QC isa widely respected senior mediator who islauded by one market source for being
"thoroughly charming."
He has expertise in financial services and banking disputes, with additional experience in professional negligence and chancery cases. One interviewee reports:
"He's very experienced and a great person to have because he's willing to take a view and works very hard to get a settlement."
-Anthony Glaister is respected in the market for his diverse practice. His experience includes appointments to commercial cases, particularly those involving construction, engineering or insurance issues. He is consistently highlighted by market commentatorsfor his specialism in agricultural disputes. One interviewee notes that he is
"very personable and establishes a good rapport with the parties,"
and another reports that
"he pulls no punches but is patient and professional."
-Mark Linnell is a strong mediator who is admired by interviewees for being
"very experienced and sensitive to the needs of the client."
He regularlydealswith cases concerning commercial contracts, professional negligence, property and insurance disputes as part of a broad practice. One interviewee states:
"He has a very open approach and is very willing and keen to talk beforehand and explore different tactics. He has great stamina for keeping the process going in very difficult cases."
-Liz Rivers is an experienced mediator who is admired by one source for being
"calm, efficient and non-judgemental"
and for
"putting both parties at ease."
She specialises in mediatingthe full range of employment and workplace disputes, including discrimination, harassment and partnership claims. One commentator reports:
"I believe what succeeded was her ability to come across to the two parties involved as impartial, calm and really wanting to help them while not favouring one opinion over the other."