Dispute Resolution and Mediation From Law Hound 

We believe most businesses don’t just have legal issues in isolation from their other business problems, the two come hand in hand. Being business owners ourselves and having grown several businesses, both on and off line, it made sense to us to help you with both law and business as part of the same consultancy. Commercial disputes and Employment law problems are not just about the law and regulations, almost all legal problems start with people and communication and/or having processes in place which have failed to work.

Practical 

Coming to Law Hound you can be sure your problems and questions are dealt with sensitively by people who run businesses and take responsibility for their actions, we don’t just look at the legal aspects of an issue, we help you take stock of the whole problem and come up with practical steps to get you back on track. When the only thing agreed on is you need to stay in business we can help find you the way through your dispute.

What has Law Hound Resolved via Mediation?

In the last 12 months so far we have helped in the following types of cases:

• Assisted an online retailer with a wide scale management theft problem to put in place systems and address the disputes that sat at the core of this issue
• Worked through a huge IP issue between a director and his investor
• Mediated a commercial sale settlement
• Mediated in numerous shareholder and director disputes

We understand the pains of starting out or growing your business online

Nothing we advise on is new to us, we have many years’ experience. We only offer help on the areas in which we specialise and have hands on experience of. Working online since 1999 we have tried and tested many new gimmicks and applications and continue to develop our own business online using a virtual team. That means we know the pain and the problems you face and can help you over the hurdles holding you back in your business. This not only saves you time and money it also means you get a service which is unique to your business and crafted to solve your problems, not a generic answer to just part of the problem.

Get In Touch

Talk to us today about how we can help you and your business, we work using fixed fees and a process which enables you to get through the problem and continue to run your business.

Call us on 0161 726 5037 or email sue@lawhound.co.uk

HOW WILL MEDIATION HELP ME?

Disputes are a fact of life and business. Misunderstandings, differences of opinion and changes in circumstances can lead to disputes needing help. Issues like:

• Unpaid invoices
• Other money issues
• Contract fulfilment
• Shareholders/directors’ disputes
• Complaints about your services/work
• Workplace disagreements and issues with employee and others you work with

When you have a problem you need to deal with it  quickly and easily so your business is not disrupted. Time spend on sorting out disputes can take over you and your business. It’s too easy to feel angry or disappointed. You can waste time dealing with the emotional fall out instead of running and building up your business.

Issuing court proceedings is both time consuming and costly. Why waste your money and your time? A court resolution may mean the issue is hanging over for months or even years. Remember that you’ll need to show the Court that you tried to agree things first so why not start and end with conflict resolution/mediation?

Enquire Now

Mediation helps you move forward. It helps you resolve disputes quickly and effectively with big savings in time, money and energy spent on emotions. It may also help you salvage situations and relationships you would otherwise lose.

WHY SHOULD I CHOOSE MEDIATION?

Mediation is:

• Quick and flexible – you can book an appointment straight away. Average court cases take months. Mediation can be finished within a couple of weeks (if not sooner!).

• Cost effective – both in time and money. You pay one fixed price which is a fraction of what court proceedings would cost. Mediation is usually all completed in one day. Preparing for Court means lots of time and complicated documents. That’s before you even attend a hearing. Mediation cuts through this process and simplifies the dispute to what really matters, the focus is on positive resolution not negative blame or paperwork churn.

• Have your say confidentially – mediation provides a safe, confidential space. It gives you the chance to tell your story in a way that just doesn’t happen in Court proceedings. You get one to one time with your mediator who is there to help you find the best solution for you. Remember that what you say in mediation can’t be repeated to anyone else (even in later Court proceedings) unless you agree.

• Dealing with the issues – direct communication through a mediator helps explore what went wrong. You get the chance to explain your side of the story and narrow any issues. This will help you even if you can’t resolve things immediately. It will also help you avoid similar issues in the future.

• Resolving problems your way – in a flexible way. Nobody is going to make (order) you to do something that you don’t want to. Mediators are not there to judge but to help you find the right answers to the problems you face.

• Keeping relationships – resolving a dispute with mediation may mean that you can work together again with the party you are currently in conflict with.

• A Voluntary agreement – mediation is a voluntary process. Everybody involved tries to agree on how to resolve things. The fact that you are willing to mediate shows that you want to work to find a solution.

• Private – mediation means that you can keep your problems (and how they are dealt with) private.

• Not formal like Court.

• Relaxed  and calm so less stressful.

HOW DOES LAWHOUND MEDIATION WORK?

Mediation  is about  moving a problem or dispute forward quickly and efficiently. You get to have your say and the chance to reach a resolution that you agree is right for you. our approach is calm and relaxed so all parties get the opportunity to be heard and the best solution is found.

The mediator is impartial and is not there to take sides. The mediator won’t decide who’s right or wrong, make judgments or tell you what to do. Instead they are there to help you through the process and find the best answers to the problem.

A mediation typically lasts up to a day. During the mediation process our experienced mediator will listen impartially to all sides of the story. The mediator will  help you:

• explore the issues and what went wrong.
• allow everyone involved to have some say and control over what’s agreed.
• find a solution that you agree suits you best.
• help you draw up an agreement about how and when things happen.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

We offer fixed price mediation which means that you know exactly what it will cost you. Our prices start from £500 ex VAT per party, they vary depending on whether you opt for face to face or online mediation, the value and complexity of the dispute. Once you have made your enquiry you will receive a firm quote from us, so you know exactly what costs are involved from day one from us.

HOW DO I BOOK?

If you want an online mediation then please use the Enquiry form here

On receipt of the enquiry form we will send you our mediation agreement and a form to complete.

Bookings are subject to our Terms and Conditions

FAQ ABOUT THE MEDIATION PROCESS

Can you guarantee we’ll reach an agreement?

No, that would be impossible because you decide on how to resolve things. However, each of our mediators have over 30 years’ experience  helping to settle disputes and problems. They have a high rate of success and achieving results.

What sort of agreement will I reach?

Mediation is flexible. You agree what suits you. For example you can

• Acknowledge each party’s point of view.
• Agree what happens next and when and how it will happen.
• How to work together in the future.

What will happen if we can’t reach an agreement?

Remember that you need to try and settle a dispute before you start Court proceedings and mediation proves this. What happens in the mediation is confidential, so the court won’t know about what happened in the mediation. You only need to let them know that you tried.

Am I better going to Court?

Before you start court proceedings you must try to sort things out. If you don’t try the court can penalise you on costs even if you win.

How long do you want to take to sort this out?  Mediation is usually completed within a day and can be arranged very quickly (often the same week). Court proceedings can take months or even years to complete.

What types of mediation do you offer?

We offer Online mediation for all types of business and some personal disputes which means that you get to take part in mediation

• In the most comfortable place for you.
• That saves you time and money travelling.

 We also offer face to face mediation if you prefer this.

Each party usually pays their own costs. Our mediation costs are agreed and fixed, so you know what’s involved from the beginning.