Alternative Dispute Resolution

Negotiation, Mediation & Adjudication

Our lawyers are known as skilful negotiators.  It is hard to think of a case that does not involve negotiation.  We interweave settlement negotiations with the adversarial process to ensure that any deal reached is at a high watermark for our clients. 

Mediation is not for every case.  If yours is – and we will advise you if so – mediation can be an effective means of reaching constructive and creative solutions in the interests of all stakeholders. It can save energy and resources, as well as preserving valuable relationships.   

Often the unlock in resolving a dispute is to focus on the future.  This frames a positive context that allows for better communication between parties to a dispute.  The lawyers involved can drive this mindset shift.  We are adept at developing and implementing negotiation strategies for successful outcomes, built on a parallel arbitration or litigation strategy.  Thorough case preparation and attention to detail underpins those strategies. Selecting the right neutral (mediator or facilitator) also requires careful thought.  

Further, our team has experience in representing clients in adjudication proceedings (notably, dispute adjudication and dispute review board), with the capacity to make the substantial time commitments required in this process. 

Dispute Prevention

Avoiding disputes altogether is clearly preferable to winning lawsuits.  

We assist our clients to screen their business for avoidable legal hazards. This includes a structured review of their standard contract forms, internal processes, documentation standards and allocation of responsibilities. For these dispute prevention and compliance services, we also draw upon our extensive knowledge in corporate, employment and competition law. 

We also analyse existing contracts for clients and draft new complex contracts and projects, notably where these involve multiple parties or multiple jurisdictions. Our services include the general design and negotiation of comprehensive contractual agreements, as well as applying our expertise to the contract drafting process.  One example is the structuring of complex dispute resolution clauses that encourage early negotiation, mediation and/or other ADR forms prior to commencement of formal proceedings. 

Pre-trial Consultancy

Sometimes trial seems inevitable. The decision to initiate litigation or arbitration proceedings, however, is not always clear-cut and needs careful analysis.  We provide a frank and robust initial case assessment to set the early picture. Together with your team we compile the relevant facts and look at the issues closely. Beyond the estimation of overall procedural risks, we can provide our clients with a structured and probability-weighted assessment of the outcome of a potential arbitration or litigation. This constitutes a sound basis for evaluating or preparing any appropriate settlement offers throughout a dispute. 

Our partners also assist in identifying and liaising with litigation or arbitration funders.