Practical Challenges for Mediators

 Prior to Christmas I found myself in Jerusalem, Israel – the heart of the heart of the conflict of our time. Here, no one agrees on anything – even the monks from various Christian denominations …

I read a long time ago that lessons for life can be found everywhere as long as we look for them. As with many of these quotes that we read, my response was to nod sagaciously, file it away for…

I recently had three mediations in a row that failed to reach settlement. After a couple of days contemplating running away with the circus and other lateral career moves, I started focussing on what…

 This week in Glasgow, Strathclyde University hosted the first seminar in a series entitled 'Reframing Resolution - Managing Individual Workplace Conflict'. The six seminars will take place across…

To paraphrase Jane Austen, it is a truth universally acknowledged that mediation is confidential. Go on any training course, listen to any mediator's opening speech, and the secrecy/privacy of the…

Many have tried but all have failed to implement a definitive single enforcement mechanism for cross-border mediated settlement agreements. This lack of any coherent method of enforcement is widely…

Professions (and hence professionals) are both blessed and cursed with high expectations. The upside is clear: the public expects high standards, expertise and care, and in return is prepared to pay…

This time of year in Ireland (August) is referred to by many as “the silly season”. Courts, legal offices and many other public services close for holidays, children get bored having been on holidays…

  I find myself writing this blog from South Africa, at the annual conference of the International Association of Conflict Management - http://www.iacm-conflict.org/. It is a fantastic melting pot…