As a mediation service, we are frequently asked questions, mediation is quite
unknown to most people unless they have gone through the process themselves,
civil mediation covers a wide range of situations, and the process itself is quite
simple, whether it is the way forward for you is a different matter but some of the
questions we get are universal.
Who pays?
Usually, for civil mediation, depending on the situation both or all parties pay for
themselves unless agreed otherwise between themselves but for example if you are
an organisation trying to resolve a dispute, it may be that your organisation covers
the fee.
Is it confidential?
Yes, everything said in mediation is confidential unless you say otherwise, prior to
mediation you sign an agreement that states that whatever is said is confidential, no
recording is allowed, no one else is in the room unless you agree beforehand, and if
you would like whatever you agree to be made legally binding, you will need to
instruct your solicitor of the agreement and go forward from there.
Do you invite the other person for me?
For civil mediation, the parties have to agree to mediate beforehand, there’s no point
you spending money booking an appointment if the other party/parties are not going
to turn up, mediation is voluntary so it’s best to know they are willing to try before you
begin.
Can mediation fix my relationship?
Mediation is more for legal agreements and helping you cooperate for whichever
situation you are in rather than reconciliation, for example, if you would like to
resolve a dispute in regard to a will, we can help with this! Reconciliation with a
family member? You may want to look into family counselling; they are more suited
to dealing with emotional matters. You can use mediation if you would like but it may
be more costly.
Do I have to see the other party to mediate?
In short, you do not, whichever situation you are in, mediation can be done on a
‘shuttled’ basis, the mediator will go between the two or more parties, discussing
matters and negotiating as they go, for the most part, our appointments are done via
video call so if you want to be in the comfort of your own home, you can! We do offer
face-to-face shuttled mediation but obviously, this can take more time and possibly
more sessions which of course would incur more cost.
How long is mediation?
We usually book half day or full day sessions, for civil matters as they can get quite
complex, we usually recommend a full day which is 7 hours (usually starting at
10:00) but if you would prefer half-day sessions (which are 4 hours in length) for any
reason that is not a problem at all.
How long does this take to arrange?
It can be arranged as early as next week if your availability matches! As long as you
have all of the paperwork ready so the mediator can adequately prepare, we can
book you in as soon as possible!
Still unsure about Civil Mediation or have more questions? Book your free initial
consultation by clicking here.
