Mediation
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“Skilled mediators are now able to achieve results satisfactory to both parties in many cases that are quite beyond the power of the lawyers and courts to achieve.”
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Mediation is increasingly used as an alternative method of dispute resolution. St John’s Chambers offer highly skilled mediators, in any kind of dispute, to help parties reach an agreeable solution to their problem, however complex or apparently intractable, without the risk and cost of going to trial.
We are firm believers in the virtues of mediation. Statistically, over 80% of mediations result in a settlement. In the right kind of case, a mediation can actually provide a better result than could have been achieved at trial.
Our mediators act as an independent party in the dispute resolution process to facilitate open discussion and reach consensus between the parties, without the need to go to court with all the added expense and aggravation. The current litigation climate is strongly in favour of mediation, and courts can and do impose costs penalties on parties who refuse or fail to respond to an offer to mediate.
Mediators do not determine the outcome in a dispute (or make judgments) but instead encourage parties to understand the issues at stake, resolve their differences and manage any conflict in order to reach a mutually beneficial outcome. An agreement reached in mediation will normally be recorded in a binding settlement agreement, or if Court proceedings are already under way in a consent order.
We have a sizeable team of qualified mediators with a range of experience and seniority whose specialist knowledge spans all of chambers’ practice areas. As barristers, our team members bring with them the independence of the Bar combined with a user-friendly and efficient approach.
Our mediators charge a fixed fee for each mediation, whether it lasts for a whole or for a half day, and you will find that our rates are highly competitive.
Our mediators are happy to travel to you, or alternatively we are able to host mediations here at St John’s Chambers without any additional costs. We have excellent, modern and fully equipped, scalable conference facilities. Our main conference room can comfortably house up to 24 people. Video conferencing is available along with WiFi, and all necessary catering and refreshments can be provided.
Our clerks offer efficient administrative support to ensure that your mediation is handled smoothly and professionally from start to finish.
Mediation Team

Leslie Blohm KC
- Call: 1982
- Silk: 2006
Leslie qualified as a mediator in January 2016. His background is predominantly commercial disputes and problems, and in particular those with a real property element including contracts for the sale of land, development and overage agreements, commercial landlord...

Robin Neill
- Call: 1979
Robin is a highly experienced lawyer, bringing with him the twin benefits of having worked in an international law firm and practising at the Bar in the field of domestic and international construction projects and trade disputes. He...

Richard Stead
- Call: 1979
Richard has been a qualified mediator for over 10 years, and has extensive expertise in personal injury, clinical negligence and professional negligence claims, and property damage matters. Richard’s practice is also complemented by his highly sought-after expertise in...

John Sharples
- Call: 1992
John became a fully-qualified mediator in early 2015 and now specialising in mediating property, private client and related areas. He also lectures on aspects of mediation law and practice to solicitors in the South West and Wales. John...

John Dickinson
- Call: 1995
John trained as a mediator at the London School of Mediation, was accredited in 2015 and now serves as both a mediator and as a representative at mediations. His approach to facilitative mediation is to control the process...

Matthew White
- Call: 1997
Matthew qualified as a mediator in 2014, primarily for a better insight when representing parties in mediation. If acting as a mediator himself, Matthew will draw on his wealth of legal experience to assist the parties to reach...

Julian Horne
- Call: 1998
Julian is an experienced personal injury barrister with expertise across the field. He is a qualified mediator and has also appeared as an advocate at mediations across the full breadth of his practice.

Alex Troup
- Call: 1998
Alex is an experienced mediator with particular experience of dealing with contentious trust and probate cases. He adopts a friendly but no-nonsense approach to mediations and has a high success rate for achieving settlements. Alex is one of...

Harry Spurr
- Call: 2001
Harry is an experienced commercial mediator, described by peers and clients as “a highly skilled mediator” and “at the top of his profession”. His practice encompasses a wide range of commercial and civil disputes, acting for clients ranging...

James Pearce-Smith
- Call: 2002
James qualified as a mediator in January 2018. He is very experienced in representing parties at mediations, especially involving commercial disputes and claims for professional negligence, and is now able to use this experience to assist parties as...

Zoë Saunders
- Call: 2003
Having practiced in family law Zoë is well aware of the toll that the stress and uncertainty of litigation can take on clients and how costs can escalate. As a mediator Zoë will draw on her experience of...

Rebecca Taylor
- Call: 2003
Rebecca is a TECBAR adjudicator, an experienced barrister and accredited civil Mediator and a panel member at specialist mediation provider M4C. Mediation can be pretty much anything that the parties want. In essence it is a consensual form...

Christopher Jones
- Call: 2004
Christopher qualified as a mediator in January 2018. His background is predominantly in trust litigation and advice, contentious and non-contentious probate applications, real property litigation (particularly in relation to easements, restrictive covenants and contracts for the sale of...

Ben Handy
- Call: 2008
As a qualified mediator, Ben can help parties resolve disputes without the need for costly and uncertain litigation. His varied personal injury and clinical negligence practice means that he is keenly aware of the legal and practical realities...

Oliver Wooding
- Call: 2009
Oliver is a trained mediator and experienced mediation counsel who deals with a whole range of legal disputes, but in particular contentious probate, trusts, and real estate disputes. He offers a practical and friendly approach that encourages parties,...

Natasha Dzameh
- Call: 2010
Natasha is an accredited mediator who is available for instruction in mediations in any field. She is a specialist commercial and chancery barrister who is accustomed to acting as sole counsel in high value litigation particularly in relation...

Charlie Newington-Bridges
- Call: 2011
Charlie qualified as a mediator in January 2019. His background is predominantly in commercial litigation, company and shareholder disputes, contract disputes, financial services/banking disputes, contentious probate applications and Inheritance Act claims but Charlie is happy to mediate in...

Adam Boyle
- Call: 2012
Adam is passionate about mediation and the benefits it can offer to the parties who participate in it. He trained as a commercial mediator with the London School of Mediation in January 2015 and has been mediating disputes...

Daniel Soar
- Call: 2016
Daniel has an established chancery and commercial practice, covering the traditional areas of probate, property, trusts and breach of contract, appearing regularly in the County Court, First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) and the High Court. As part of his...

Guy Adams
- Call: 1989
Guy is a chancery and commercial specialist who acts in complex cases which often raise difficult and/or novel points of law. His commercial work includes banking, finance, commercial contract, company and partnership and professional negligence. He also has...

Richard Gold
- Call: 2006
Richard is a qualified mediator, having trained with the London School of Mediation. His mediation experience includes acting as a mediator in a complex probate dispute, in which a settlement was reached at the end of the mediation....

Andrew Kearney
- Call: 2007
Andrew is an accredited and active Civil Mediator, and has been a mediator for nearly 15 years. He has particular experience in construction and commercial disputes (including within the NHS and in respect of local authority funding of...
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