Legal Issues

ADR, Conventional wisdom, Court Procedure and Litigation, Developing the Field, Domestic Courts, Growth of the Field (Challenges, New Sectors, etc.), Legal Issues, Litigation, Mediation and Society, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediation Schemes (In Courts, etc.), Practical Challenges for Mediators, Scotland, Stories, Uncategorized, Understanding mediation

(University of Strathclyde)/ /1 Comment
Formality and informality

Place matters It’s good to see authors on this blog referencing academic research – see Rick Weiler’s recent post on decision-making. Similarly, a new chapter by Singapore judicial mediator Dorcas Quek Anderson (1) has got me thinking about the old chestnut of formality and informality. Anderson considers the impact on people and processes of the…

Argument, Below the line, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Dialogue, Experts, Fear, General, Joint Sessions, Lawyers, lawyers in mediation, Legal Issues, Litigation, Mediation Lawyering, mediation process, Preparation, Tactics

(Bill Marsh Mediator)/ /4 Comments

This is the first in a short series of how parties and advisers can best deploy the “assets” at their disposal in a mediation. Naturally, it is written from my perspective as a mediator, and so I recognise that it may look different when you are representing one side in a mediation, rather than in…

'Money-only' Cases, Accreditation, ADR, Appointment of Mediators, Argument, Australia, caucus, Clients, Commercial Mediation, Conflict, Court Procedure and Litigation, Creativity, Dispute Resolution, Evaluative Mediation, Impasse, Interests, Joint Sessions, Judges as mediators, Lawyers, lawyers in mediation, Legal Issues, Litigation, mediated settlement agreement, Mediation Lawyering, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediators’ Conduct, Practical Challenges for Mediators, Preparation, Set Aside a Mediated Agreement, Settlement Agreements, shuttle mediation, Success in mediation, The role of the mediator, Time Pressure, Understanding mediation

(Strategic Resolution)/ /Leave a comment

  Court cases are an important source of guidance for mediators, disputants and their lawyers. They remind us that the law casts a long shadow even when a mediation appears to have resolved successfully. They can rescue us – helping us identify and avoid previously unforeseen difficulties. Here’s an example Mr. and Mrs. Studer moved…

Enforcement, Legal Issues, mediated settlement agreement, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, Set Aside a Mediated Agreement, Settlement Agreements, Singapore

, (Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /Leave a comment

As the practice of cross-border mediation grows, it is imperative for legal and other professional advisers involved in drafting mediated settlement agreements (MSAs) to become familiar with how different courts deal with litigation about MSAs. In this post, we look at a recent 2019 decision of the Singapore High Court, Jumaiah bte Amir and Another…

Appointment of Mediators, Experience, Legal Issues, Litigation, mediated settlement agreement, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Mediation Users/Clients, Mediator liability, Mediators’ Conduct, Set Aside a Mediated Agreement, Settlement Agreements, The role of the mediator, Tips, Uncategorized, War Stories

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Although infrequent, court cases against mediators are illuminating, helping us avoid being dragged into court ourselves. Here’s an example In Tapoohi v Lewenberg & Ors (No 2) [2003] VSC 410, the Supreme Court of Victoria, Australia, considered it arguable that a mediator owes a duty of care to the disputants. The mediated dispute This was…

ADR, cross-border mediation, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, International Mediation, Legal Issues, Singapore Convention on Mediation

, (Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /Leave a comment

This post is part of a series on the UN Convention on Mediated Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the Singapore Convention on Mediation). In previous posts we have outlined the conventional view that Article 5 of the Singapore Convention establishes exhaustively all the possible exceptions to the enforcement of iMSAs that have otherwise have complied…

ADR, Arbitration, Developing the Field, Dispute Resolution, Future of mediation, International commercial mediation, International Law, International Mediation, Legal Issues, Legislation, Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), Singapore, UNCITRAL

, (Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /2 Comments

For dispute resolution practitioners familiar with the concept of the seat of arbitration, it may come as a surprise that the new UN Convention on International Settlement Agreement Resulting from Mediation does not include provisions in relation to the ‘seat’ of mediation. Why, you may ask? The Convention includes no provisions on ‘seat’ simply because…

ADR, Dispute Resolution, Domestic Courts, Legal Issues, Mediation Practice, Mediator liability, National Mediation Laws

(Strategic Resolution)/ /Leave a comment
[Picture credit: creative commons]

[Picture credit: creative commons] Court cases not only determine issues between litigating parties, they provide guidance for others facing similar situations. For mediators and for disputants alike, they can help us identify and avoid difficulties we might not have previously contemplated. Here’s one example In Robert Samuel McCosh v David A R Williams [2003] NZCA 192,…

Europe, International Courts, Legal Issues, Legislation, Mandatory mediation, Mediation Reforms (Legislation, etc.), Opt-Out, Regulation

(CMS)/ /2 Comments

There are many well-known arguments for and against mandatory mediation. Neither of the two camps of its proponents and opponents appear willing to surrender. However, some recent developments signal that the proponents are now gaining the upper hand. While in the past mandatory mediation schemes were typical for some (but not all) of the common-law…

Dispute Resolution, Domestic Courts, Enforcement, Enforcement of a Mediation Clause, Legal Issues, mediated settlement agreement, Mediation Outcomes, Mediation Practice, mediation process, Set Aside a Mediated Agreement, Settlement Agreements, Singapore, Uncategorized

, (Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy)/ /1 Comment

In October, we reported on a recent case from the Singapore High Court: Chan Gek Yong v Violet Netto. In that post, we examined the High Court’s attitude towards parties who have had a change of heart after agreeing to conclude a Mediated Settlement Agreement (‘MSA’) and wish to challenge its validity. Last month we…