Alternative Dispute Resolution

Our Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) team offer a range of services to assist parties to resolve their issues in a modern, focused and cost-effective manner.

Because of the delay, cost and unpredictability of going to court, it is sensible to make every effort to settle disputes before they reach this stage, if at all possible.

With the pandemic crisis showing little sign of abating and HM Government’s lockdown measures taking effect, the traditional system of Civil and Family Justice in England and Wales, by means of Court or Tribunal based litigation, has significantly slowed. In their most recent ‘Message to Circuit and District Judges in Civil and Family’, dated 9th April 2020, the Lord Chief Justice, Master of the Rolls and the President of the Family Division, acknowledged that only around 40% of hearings were effective. A significant proportion of such hearings were to deal with purely case management issues, including the adjournment of many trials.

On 19th March 2020, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Burnett, encouraged parties to litigation to “explore…the possibility of compromise” thus the Covid-19 lockdown means that the benefits of resolving litigation or disputes have never been greater.

In these circumstances, three important questions arise:

1. Where does this leave clients with existing disputes?
2. Where does this leave clients who need a swift resolution to a dispute that has arisen as a direct or indirect result of the Covid-19 pandemic?
3. How can we as lawyers continue to work with and for our clients?