Civil Mediation Council

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Civil Mediation Council

Leading the advancement of mediation and setting professional standards across England and Wales since 2003.

The Civil Mediation Council is the largest registering organisation for mediation in England and Wales and many of the country’s top mediators are CMC members. We believe that the whole of society will benefit from the greater use of mediation. This is why the CMC is a UK charity and all Board and Working Group members are volunteers who stand to make no personal gain from their work. The CMC is a membership organisation, providing the public with a list of qualified mediators. Your mediator's CMC registered status guarantees that they will have undertaken an approved training, follow a professional code of conduct and are committed to continued professional development. Your mediator will also have a complaints process in place and is insured against any legal claims. Visit our Website today to find out more about how to get in touch with a mediator!

05/10/2026

What really happens when founders fall out?

Our panel on founder disputes brings together Andrew Pepper, Partner and Head of Special Situations at S&W, Chrystalla Spire, barrister, mediator and General Counsel specialising in founder and shareholder disputes, and Mandeep Kaur Virdee, Founder and CEO of KaurMaxwell, chaired by Carolyn Jones from the CMC's Commercial Working Group.

Together, they'll explore founder disputes from every angle, legal, commercial and deeply personal, and what it really takes to help businesses move through them.

Don't miss your chance to be there. Book your ticket now: https://civilmediation.org/conference-2026

02/10/2026

A huge thank you to our CMC Conference 2026 sponsors, whose support makes this year's conference possible.

We are proud to have Collis Mediation Ltd as our Headline Sponsor, alongside Mediation Supporters Hunt ADR, Global Mediation, 39 Essex Chambers and CEDR.

Join us online on 7 and 8 October for Making Mediation Mainstream, and learn more about the programme: https://civilmediation.org/conference-2026

01/10/2026

After chairing the CMC Academic Forum since its very first meeting, Professor Jane Bryan is stepping down as Chair, and we are delighted to welcome Catherine Hobby to the role.

Under Jane's leadership, the Forum has grown from a small founding group into a thriving community of academics, practitioners and researchers across the UK and beyond, exploring a broad range of issues, from mediation in the curriculum and employability to clinical legal education and the increasingly important role of research.

Read more about Jane's contribution, and a warm welcome to Catherine, on the CMC blog: https://civilmediation.org/a-new-chapter-for-the-cmc-academic-forum/

30/09/2026

What does it take to mediate a dispute when one party won't meet face-to-face, or won't reveal who they are?

The CMC's Community Mediation Working Group explored these questions at its latest meeting. Discussion also covered the unique challenges of Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) disputes, and a new research project on public perceptions of mediation.

Chaired by Alice Matthews, the group also welcomed new Deputy Chairs Dave Walker and Kira Day.

Read more on the CMC blog: https://civilmediation.org/community-mediation-access-identity-innovation/

25/09/2026

The CMC Conference 2026, Making Mediation Mainstream, is nearly here.

Across two afternoons on 7 and 8 October, you'll hear from leading voices on the future of civil justice reform and the evolving relationship between mediation and the courts, alongside sessions spanning commercial, workplace, SEND, community, peer and academic mediation. Add to that sessions on AI in mediation, neurodiversity, intercultural practice and more, alongside dedicated networking time, online and in person.

If mediation is part of your world, this is where the conversation is happening.

Find out more and book your ticket: https://civilmediation.org/conference-2026

24/09/2026

The full lineup for the CMC Conference 2026 is now confirmed, with Jane Gunn joining as one of our Day 2 keynote speakers.

Known to her clients as "The Barefoot Mediator," Jane is a Global Leader in Who's Who Mediation and features in the Legal 500 Hall of Fame. She has spoken at the United Nations, the White House and the European Commission, and is the author of three books on conflict resolution.

Her session, Mediating at the Edge, explores whistleblowing in the workplace, often regarded as a "hot potato" given the strong emotions, safety concerns and serious allegations involved, and asks whether and when mediation has a role to play. Drawing on her own experience, Jane will discuss the challenges and benefits of mediating in these high-stakes cases.

With the conference just two weeks away, now is the time to book your ticket.

Find out more and book: https://civilmediation.org/conference-2026

21/09/2026

The next ADR Academic Researchers Network session brings together two presentations by Dr Fulya Teomete Yalabik and Daniel Greineder, exploring the human dimension of arbitration in an increasingly technological field.

Dr Fulya Teomete Yalabik will examine the boundary between legitimate procedural strategy and abusive conduct in arbitration, arguing that while AI may spot patterns and delays, it cannot grasp motive or context, or judge the right moment for arbitral intervention, making human intuition indispensable.

Daniel Greineder will explore the problems of communication in international arbitration, questioning the assumption that a shared language is enough to avoid misunderstanding across legal cultures.

Convened by Professor Jane Bryan and Zora Kizilyurek, the Network brings together academics, practitioners, PhD candidates and researchers at all career stages, from across the UK and internationally, for regular online sessions combining expert presentations and reflective discussion.

Session details: 14 October, 12.30-1.30pm UK time.

Find out more and join the network: https://civilmediation.org/adr-researchers-network/

18/09/2026

The inclusion of mediation in the new draft Acas Code of Practice is a welcome step forward — but does it go far enough? Come and hear directly from Acas, alongside an expert panel of mediators, as we explore the proposed changes and, crucially, what needs to happen next. With the opportunity to put your questions to Acas and debate how early resolution can become a genuine part of workplace culture, we’ll look beyond the Code to the bigger picture: the real financial and human cost of conflict, the impact on health and wellbeing, and what organisations can do to intervene before disputes escalate to potentially damaging processes and an already stretched tribunal system.

The reference to mediation in the new draft Code is a welcome development. But if we really want to prevent conflict from escalating, how much further do we need to go?

The panel is chaired by Dionne Dury, with Acas, Marie Coombes and Nick Pahl.

Download the schedule and book your ticket: https://civilmediation.org/conference-2026

16/09/2026

The schedule for the CMC Conference 2026, Making Mediation Mainstream, is now available to download, with more exciting details still to come.

Day One opens with a keynote from Amrik Kandola and Professor John Sorabji on the next chapter for mediation and civil justice reform, followed by an update from CMC leadership on the profession's direction, and a session on dealmaking versus peacebuilding from Peter Marsden. Breakout sessions cover founder disputes in commercial mediation, the future of SEND mediation, storytelling for community mediation organisations, and legal education for aspiring mediators, before the day closes with sessions on overcoming deadlock with Eve Pienaar and intercultural fluency in practice with Afsana Gibson-Chowdhury and Claudia Haisman-Green.

Day Two opens with a keynote from Sir Julian Smith MP on mediation, facilitation and UK politics, followed by breakout sessions spanning workplace mediation and the Acas Code, peer mediation in schools, the emerging case law on court-ordered mediation, and AI in mediation. The day closes with a panel on designing mediation for neurodiversity and an update from HMCTS on automatic referral to mediation in the Small Claims process.

With 17 sessions across two afternoons, up to 11 hours of CPD, plus online and in-person networking, there is a lot to look forward to.

Download the schedule and book your ticket: https://civilmediation.org/conference-2026

14/09/2026

The CMC is launching a new SEND Mediation Working Group, and we would love you to be part of it.

Separate from the existing SEND Mediation Panel, which is jointly held by the CMC and the College of Mediators and focuses on standards and training, this new Working Group is designed to provide a collaborative, sector-facing forum for all SEND mediators and stakeholders across the SEND mediation sector.

The inaugural meeting will take place on Thursday 15 October, 11am - 12.30pm, and will be chaired by CMC Board Members Adam Gersch and Dominic Collis. It is an opportunity to help shape the group's Terms of Reference, share ideas and identify the projects and initiatives that matter most to you.

All SEND mediators and those with a stake in the SEND mediation sector are welcome to attend. Register and learn more on the CMC blog: https://civilmediation.org/help-shape-the-future-of-send-mediation/

Address

100 Street Paul’s Churchyard
London
EC4M8BU

Telephone

+441707594104

Website

http://www.civilmediation.org/

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