Working Together to Resolve Disputes

Uses and Benefits of Joint Meetings in Commercial Mediation

This project builds bridges between theory and practice by putting practice into theory by deconstructing the practical knowledge of experts into manageable chunks that can be easily understood, sharing to assist in the development of the field, and working backwards asking “What do we do?” and then “What do we say we do?”

The CEDR foundation assembles groups of experienced practitioners and experts interested in progressing the field. Each group was tasked with translating their experiential learning in different aspects of the mediation process into a practical review of that specific subject.

In this case, a group of mediators including Heather Allen, Stephen Bate, Chris Newmark, and Felicity Steadman gathers in July 2012 and examined joint meetings, pulling from their experiences and building a comprehensive guide to the process, benefits and risks, structures and creating a positive impact through joint meetings.

The purpose of this article is to promote wider and fuller use of joint meetings as a major contributor to the effectiveness of the mediation process.  READ ARTICLE

The Innovation Lab is intended to be a centre for review and innovation.  The spirit of the Innovation lab is one of ongoing development and there is no assertion that this document is “finished.”  Through this document, the CEDR Foundation hopes to inspire other mediators to share their experiences and add to the dialogue so as to continue to build the knowledge available to fledgling and experienced mediators alike.