Effective Mediation and Dispute Resolution for Legal and Business Teams In-house Training

Course overview

Mediation can help organisations resolve disputes more efficiently, control costs and preserve important business relationships - but achieving the best possible outcome requires preparation, strategy and confident negotiation.

This practical, interactive training course equips legal and business teams with the skills to prepare for and participate effectively in mediation, whether dealing with employment, commercial, property, supplier, customer or other disputes.

Mediation offers a broader range of outcomes than those available through litigation or arbitration. Recent statistics indicate that 87% of mediations settle on the day or soon after.

Mediation is suitable for a wide range of domestic commercial and international disputes including those with external suppliers and purchasers, multi-party, regulatory, plus internally to resolve employment and workplace, commercial and property disputes.

The English courts are increasingly encouraging and requiring parties in dispute to seek to resolve their differences at mediation. Costs sanctions may be imposed on parties who unreasonably refuse to mediate. Some jurisdictions are imposing mandatory mediation for certain disputes. The Ministry of Justice in the UK has introduced what they call 'mandatory mediation', ie compulsory mediation for cases with a value up to £10,000. If this scheme is successful it is likely that the threshold will be increased. Also, judges are now ordering parties to mediate, following the changes in the Civil Procedure Rules.

During this training course you will learn about representing your company successfully at a mediation. You will learn about the process of mediation, how to select a mediator, how to prepare yourself and those attending for it, how to get into the right mindset for the day, what to expect on the day, how to negotiate and communicate better during the mediation, how to deal with an impasse at a mediation, how to reach a deal and how to get the most out of the process.

This training course is presented by an experienced and active mediator and solicitor who will share practical knowledge in an interactive way. There will be plenty of opportunities for questions and discussion.

The course can be tailored around your organisation’s own dispute profile, internal processes and areas of particular concern, making the learning directly relevant to the challenges your team faces.

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This training course is part of our collection of Strategy & Negotiation Training Courses which teach negotiation, communication, leadership, financial and management knowledge and skills.

Benefits of attending

By attending this training course you will:

• Understand how mediation fits in with the dispute resolution process
• Learn how to select and agree on the best mediator
• Get to grips with how to best prepare for a mediation
• Expand your knowledge of the mediation process
• Reduce unnecessary litigation costs and management time
• Strengthen the ability to preserve important commercial and working relationships
• Build confidence in handling difficult or high-value disputes
• Examine how to reach a deal that works for both parties

Who should attend?

This interactive training course has been specifically designed for legal and business professionals who handle employment and commercial disputes. It offers practical insight into resolving conflicts efficiently, while protecting business interests and relationships.

It also provides essential learning for anyone involved in dispute resolution more broadly, whether managing internal employment issues or external disputes with suppliers, clients, or third parties.

Professionals who will particularly benefit include:

• In-house lawyers seeking to manage disputes cost-effectively and proactively
• In-house teams and government / local authority legal departments
• Private practice lawyers advising clients on employment, property or commercial conflicts
• Dispute resolution teams within law firms
• SME owners and directors responsible for resolving contractual or employment disputes
• HR professionals and their teams managing workplace conflict and disciplinary matters
• Wealth managers and IFAs handling client disagreements and regulatory concerns
• Project managers and teams dealing with disputes over contracts, projects, or delivery
• Accountants and financial advisors navigating financial, partnership, or client-related conflicts

Whether you’re directly negotiating settlements, advising senior management teams, or helping clients avoid costly litigation, this training course will equip you with the practical tools and legal awareness needed to resolve disputes effectively and strategically.