Today, I am delighted and humbled to share that I have been accepted as a Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council (FCMC).
Receiving the news has prompted me to reflect on a journey that began in 2011 and on the many people who have helped shape it along the way.
In 2011, I undertook my mediation training with the RICS. Looking back, I could not have wished for better teachers than the late David Richbell and Jane Gunn, two individuals whose influence on the mediation profession is difficult to overstate.
David, in particular, had a profound impact on my development. He generously took me under his wing, inviting me to mediation workshops, allowing me to shadow him on numerous occasions, and sharing his knowledge, experience and friendship with remarkable generosity. Watching David mediate was an education in itself. Whilst training courses teach the theory, shadowing experienced mediators teaches the art.
I still vividly remember my first mediation. It took place in a hotel near Birmingham. Space was at such a premium that the beds in the hotel rooms had been turned over to create enough room for the parties and their advisers. It certainly was not the glamorous introduction to mediation that I had imagined, but it taught me a lesson that remains true today: mediation is not about the venue, the process or even the dispute itself. It is about people.
At the time, I was a builder and quantity surveyor by background. As I started taking mediation appointments, I increasingly found myself sitting opposite lawyers and legal teams. It soon became apparent that I needed a better understanding of construction law and the legal framework underpinning many of the disputes I was helping parties resolve.
That realisation led me into further legal study and qualifications. Whether not fully understanding what the lawyers were “going on about” in those early days helped or hindered me as a mediator, I am still not entirely sure! Perhaps there was an advantage in focusing on the people and the practical realities rather than becoming too immersed in legal positions and arguments.
What began in that Birmingham hotel room has grown into a mediation practice that is now approaching 200 mediations, primarily involving construction, engineering, property and commercial disputes.
Throughout that journey, one belief has remained constant. Every mediation is different. Different people, different disputes, different interests, different objectives and different personalities. For that reason, I have never believed that mediation should be a one-size-fits-all process. Instead, the process should be designed around the dispute and, more importantly, around the people involved in it.
Drawing upon my experience in construction and engineering disputes, I seek to reality-test parties’ positions, explore risk, challenge assumptions and help parties develop a route towards resolution that reflects their commercial objectives and wider interests. The ultimate aim is simple: creating the best possible opportunity for the parties themselves to reach an agreement.
Alongside my mediation practice, one of the greatest privileges has been the opportunity to coach on the RICS Evaluative Mediation Course. Every time I attend, I am reminded why mediation remains such a fascinating profession. Whilst delegates come to develop their mediation skills, I invariably find myself learning just as much from them. Every cohort brings different perspectives, experiences and insights. Everyone sees life, conflict and disputes differently, and that diversity reinforces one of mediation’s fundamental truths: there is rarely only one way of looking at a problem.
I am particularly grateful to Raj Sohal for the continued invitation and trust to be involved with the programme. It is also always a pleasure to work alongside Peter Vinden and the other coaches, whose expertise, professionalism and good humour make every course both enjoyable and rewarding.
Several weeks ago, I learned that I had been appointed to the RICS President’s Panel of Construction Adjudicators, an honour that meant a great deal to me given my background in construction dispute resolution.
Then today came the news that I had been accepted as a Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council.
To receive these two recognitions within such a relatively short period is both humbling and deeply gratifying. More than anything, they provide an opportunity to reflect on the many people who have supported, encouraged and trusted me throughout my career.
I would also like to express my sincere thanks to RICS Dispute Resolution Service for their continued confidence in appointing me to mediate disputes over many years. As one of a relatively small number of mediators nominated on behalf of the RICS President, it has been a privilege to assist parties in resolving disputes and to play a small part in promoting the value of mediation within the construction and property sectors.
Most importantly, I would like to thank all those who have been part of this journey: clients, colleagues, lawyers, experts, fellow mediators, coaches, delegates and friends.
And especially David Richbell.
Without David’s generosity, encouragement and willingness to invest time in a new mediator all those years ago, this journey may have looked very different. His contribution to the mediation profession was immense, and I remain grateful that our paths crossed when they did.
What started in a Birmingham hotel room with overturned beds has become a career and a profession that I genuinely love.
Today is not simply a celebration of Fellowship. It is a moment of gratitude.
Gratitude for the opportunities, the friendships, the lessons learned, the trust placed in me, and the many people who have helped me along the way.
For all of that, I am immensely thankful.
And I am excited to see where the next chapter leads.