Most mediations don’t fail because the legal issues are too complex.

They fail because the room isn’t read or managed correctly.

One party dominates.
Another shuts down.
Positions harden early.
Communication turns into a contest to prove who’s right, not into negotiating for a resolution.

Time passes.
Stress and expectations increase.
Relationships deteriorate.
Settlement becomes harder, not easier.

By mid-afternoon, everyone can see where it’s heading.

Pressure to settle because the day is running out.
Clients are worn down.
Decisions made under time pressure, not judgment.

That’s what happens when the room isn’t read and managed correctly from the outset.

This is the role I take on.

I manage the room from the first exchange at pre-mediation.
I deal with unhelpful behaviour as it appears.
I stop posturing early.
I keep parties focused on what actually needs to be said and done to improve performance and resolve the dispute more simply (and with more fun).

I don’t let the process get hijacked by unnecessary obstacles.

Mediation isn’t about giving everyone equal airtime.

It’s about resolving the dispute without unnecessary damage to relationships, reputations, or the outcome.

Where I differ is this:

I don’t just understand the legal issues.
I understand how people behave under pressure — and how those beliefs affect decision-making, behaviour and ability to take risks on the day.

I know when a hard position is tactical, emotional, or simply a reaction to feeling cornered.

I know when to push, when to slow things down, and when silence has more leverage than speaking.

That judgment is what keeps matters moving toward resolution when others get stuck.

I’m a barrister (ex-litigation) and an experienced mediator (Harvard), high-performance, emotional intelligence, Dare To Lead coach and adviser. 

I’m used to working in rooms where the pressure is high, the stakes are real, and poor handling of the process and people has consequences beyond the day itself.

If you brief me, you can expect:

• The room was read and managed from the outset
• Poor behaviour addressed when it arises
• Clients heard, without being allowed to run the mediation
• Lawyers can focus on the case, not the personalities in the room.
• Progress, even where both sides arrive entrenched and the expectation of resolution is low.

The objective is straightforward.

Resolve the dispute.
Protect reputations.
Finish the day with an outcome that clients can accept and that lawyers are proud of.

This isn’t soft mediation.

It’s firm and in control, designed for conflict where pressure is high, high-conflict personalities or ego-driven people are involved, and results are expected.