Following a relationship breakdown many people have found, to their cost, that what happens when the talking stops is that a Court visit, to resolve the problems, becomes the only option.

Caroline Landes, Consultant Solicitor and Mediator says, 'If the parties involved had thought about an alternative called Mediation, they could have resolved a number of issues without the intervention of Court proceedings and the resulting costs'.

But how does Mediation work?

Mediation is a voluntary and confidential way to resolve a family dispute. It involves sitting down with the other side in the dispute and a third party, who is neutral and impartial, acts as the Mediator facilitating and giving direction to your discussions.

The Mediator helps the parties identify the important issues in the dispute and decide how they can resolve it themselves. The Mediator does not tell them what to do, or make any judgment about who is right or wrong; the control over the outcome always rests with the parties involved.

Caroline says, 'In my experience, regardless of the problem, mediation can generate ideas and explore options to solve a range of disagreements; all it needs is both parties to come to the negotiating table'.

McMillan Williams Family Mediation Centre

We offer private and publicly funded mediation (the Firm holds a mediation contract awarded by the Legal Services Commission. McMillan Williams Family Mediation Centre is managed by Caroline Landes, Solicitor (since 1988) and Mediator (since 1999)). The Firm also benefits from the services of Sid Short, Consultant Mediator. Sid is a graduate in Psychology who completed the National Family Mediation (NFM) Core Training in Family Mediation in 1995 and All Issues Mediation in 1999. She is a Professional Practice Consultant (PPC) in Family Mediation and works as a PPC in a not for profit service. Sid worked at Eye to Eye in Camberwell, London, from 1995 until it closed in March 2009, as Family Mediator, Coordinator and Acting Project Manager. She is trained and experienced in Consulting Children in Family Mediation and has experience in Workplace Mediation.

If you believe mediation may be an option, but would like further information, give Caroline or her team a call on the number shown below or by contacting her by email on Caroline.Landes@mwsolicitors.co.uk.

Call us on 0208 303 0168 for more information.