Key Westcountry Businessmen Talk Mediation

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ADR Group recently took part in a round table business discussion in Bristol about mediation and how it can be used more widely in business.

Bristol, UK, November 02, 2009 (PressReleasePoint) -- Mike Lind, Managing Director of ADR Group outlined during the discussion how between 5,000 to 6,000 disputes are resolved through mediation each year.

Adrian Wheale, founding director of ADR Group and Chairman and Managing Director of Wheale Thomas Hodgins discussed how litigation is costing UK businesses £33bn a year, and estimates that mediators can save £1bn annually.

The panel which comprised ADR Group accredited mediators (Alex Bevan, Guy Hollebon and David Bale) then went on to discuss how the business community needs to be educated as to the benefits of mediation, particularly in the light of the recession and the accompanying significant rise in the number of disputes. Geraldine Gee of the Avon Fire Authority feels that for mediation to be more widely used, it will come down to changing the culture of organisations.

Michael Lind explains: "Mediation can help to resolve differences. Any dispute where parties want to try to find a resolution should benefit from the process. Of course, there are times when a court decision is what a business wants, but these are few and far between. Mediation be it commercial or civil mediation needs to be seen as a risk management tool rather than a litigation aid."

The panel comprised: Phil Smith, Managing Director of GWEBusinessWest, Paul Spraven, Partner at Tuffin Ferraby Taylor, David Bale, Former Deputy General Counsel at Rolls-Royce, Sue Prince, Law Lecturer at the University of Exeter, Geraldine Gee, Monitoring Officer at the Avon Fire Authority, Paul Nedas, Principal at WealthManagementForce, Alex Bevan and Guy Hollebon both Directors of Bevans solicitors and as mentioned above, Adrian Wheale and Mike Lind.

For further information about mediation please visit http://www.adrgroup.co.uk
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