The Future of Mediation
Our next Members’ meeting is taking place on 9th September at 4.30pm BST.
As Chair of the Civil Mediation Council Sir David Foskett will be looking at the future of Mediation – he will be joined by Deputy Chair, Tom Thomas OBE. For many years Mediation has been growing in popularity both in the business sector but also the community.
The recent pandemic has brought to light the possibility for rapid change in both perception but also method of delivery. Having been closed for months courts are struggling to service case demand. As a speedy, flexible and informal process is this now the opportunity for Mediation to take a leap and become the first port of call for litigants?
As an interactive meeting this will give you an opportunity to ask questions and share your views and experiences on the subject.
It is anticipated that the meeting will go on for about an hour but will not go beyond 5.45pm BST
Spaces will be limited so please book your place early to ensure your slot.
A link to the meeting will be sent to you 24 hours prior to the meeting – this will be an interactive session so please do check your camera and microphone are working in advance.
We do hope you will be able to join us – to register your place please click on the link below.
Sir David Foskett
Sir David Foskett is Chairman of the Civil Mediation Council.
Until his retirement as judge, Sir David was a “highly respected” first instance High Court. He presided over a number of high profile cases and dealt with a wide spectrum of disputes including commercial and employment matters, education, sporting and leisure-related cases, planning and public law cases (many involving human rights issues) and significant clinical and other professional negligence and personal injury cases. He case-managed and tried substantial multi-party litigation and engaged in significant fact-finding exercises in many cases.
Prior to his appointment as a judge in 2007 he had a distinguished career at the Bar with a broad common law practice, but specialising in professional negligence and general commercial matters. As a QC he represented a kick-boxer in a damages claim and at one stage in his career at the Bar he was standing Counsel to the British Horse Society. He has wide sporting interests with cricket, golf, rugby and athletics predominating. He has been a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators since 1992 and is a member of the LCIA and the ICC. He is also a member of the Court of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators, a member of the Sport Resolutions Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators and a member of the Disciplinary Panel of the Premier League Judicial Panel.
Prior to becoming a full-time judge he was a CEDR-trained mediator and acted as a mediator in a wide variety of cases and was widely praised for his style and effectiveness as a mediator. He is a CMC registered mediator. Through CEDR he is a Complaints Commissioner for the Intercontinental Exchange.
His interest in and identification with dispute resolution began with the publication in 1980 of the 1st edition of ‘The Law and Practice of Compromise’, now known as ‘Foskett on Compromise’. This book is seen as the primary reference point for all issues concerning settlement and is used by practitioners and judges both in the UK and in other common law jurisdictions across the world.
Tom Thomas OBE
Tom Thomas OBE has been the Deputy Chair of the Civil Mediation Council Limited since April 2017, having previously set up Greater London and East Anglia Mediation LLP (GLEAMED) in April 2008. He is a practicing civil, commercial and workplace mediator and has previously been the Chair of a NHS Market Dispute Resolution Panel and a Visiting Fellow at The Institute for Democracy and Conflict Resolution at University of Essex. Before that Tom spent 10 years working in The City, ultimately as Director, Strategic Development, at Amey PLC and before that was a senior Army officer.