The lawyers at SHU Law, along with lawyers and law students from Sheffield Hallam University have recently undertaken a mediation course which will enable them to accept instructions as civil and commercial law mediators.
The week-long course was delivered by trainers from the Society of Mediators. The course and qualification will allow those who attended to accept instructions as a civil and commercial mediator (subject to completing 3 observations by 10 June 2020) with a focus on facilitative and co-mediation. There is an opportunity for the students to use the skills developed on the course in everyday life and in their studies. They will also be able to work with community groups to offer pro-bono mediation services after completing their observations.
Mediation is one of many available forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). In civil dispute cases there is a duty of the parties to consider ADR prior to proceeding to litigation so it is becoming an increasingly popular and successful way to resolve disputes. Mediation is typically more cost effective than litigation and has the added benefit of being confidential so often appeals to those who particularly want to protection reputation. Being able to facilitate such a process is a valuable skill for the SHU attendees.
In the future, it is planned that SHU Law will hold consolidation sessions to further develop the staff and students’ mediator skills.