21 October 2010
Commercial Mediation – A New Business Horizon
The value of mediation as a means to settle business and commercial disputes will be highlighted tonight at an event organised jointly by the Law Society of Northern Ireland and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), London.
The value of mediation as a means to settle business and commercial disputes will be highlighted tonight at an event organised jointly by the Law Society of Northern Ireland and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), London.
The event which is being held at Law Society House in Belfast will underscore the growing recognition of the importance of mediation as a highly effective and way to resolve business and personal disputes.
The Society, which represents over 2,000 solicitors throughout Northern Ireland, believes the event will showcase why mediation, in appropriate cases, can bring about resolutions of disputes which meet the needs of the parties and which can save time expense and the stress associated with court proceedings.
Over the last number of years the Society through the Dispute Resolution Service has provided training to solicitors interested in offering commercial mediation services to clients and has endeavoured to increase awareness in the business community and in the Courts.
The Law Society believes that the wealth of knowledge and experience of commercial mediation, which can be offered, by solicitors and solicitor firms in Northern Ireland is a valuable and underused business resource which can be offered to business clients at home and abroad.
The benefits of commercial mediation, the Society believes, are far reaching and the resolution of business disputes in a cost effective and successful way can assist business and can potentially create new revenue streams for solicitors firms in advising and for solicitors who act a commercial mediators.
Speaking in advance of tonight’s event, Brian Speers, incoming President of the Law Society said;
Tonight’s event is part of series of initiatives, which the Society is developing to actively promote commercial mediation to not only our members but to the wider business community.
In these difficult economic times businesses in Northern Ireland and further afield are be looking for solutions to their disputes and will expect advisers to present the most appropriate, cost effective and practical options and will enable clients to elect the approach which best meets their interests.
Mediation recognises these commercial realities and offers a quality and effective process for dealing with often difficult issues.
In addition commercial mediation can resolve disputes while maintaining or rebuilding personal and business relationships.
The Society has been proactive in developing mediation training programmes and equipping our members with the necessary skills and knowledge, which will be needed to undertake commercial mediation.
Tonight ‘s event is part of our training programme and we are grateful to Karl Mackie, the Chief Executive of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) for his help in jointly organising tonight’s event.
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