No Disputing That

In this short, impromptu episode of No Disputing That, I take a few minutes to outline what I have been up to this week in Belfast. It is the second year that Hunt ADR has provided the Mediator Accreditation Programme to students taking the LLM in International Commercial Law and ADR. This year we had students from Northern Ireland, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nigeria. To get in touch, please send me an email or leave a voice message which could feature in a future episode. Make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes.  You can follow me on Twitter @mediatorgregg and if you want to book me as your mediator or to speak at an event then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email Hunt ADR.

In this episode of No Disputing That I am joined by John Keers, Course Director of what we think is the only UK university course offering full mediation accreditation to its students - the LLM in International Commercial Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution at Ulster University. John and I discuss how and why he introduced this model for his students, and some thoughts on why other universities are not doing the same. We also discuss the growth of one of John's passions - Legal Tech - and what he and others in his start-up Talk Terms are doing to try and automate some of the dispute resolution process and developing AI in this area. And there's more as we touch on the BEIS scheme introduced to resolve disputes under the Commercial Rent (Coronavirus) Arbitration Scheme, which saw collaboration between CCODR, of which John is a Director, and Hunt ADR. To get in touch, please send me an email or leave a voice message which could feature in a future episode. Make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes.  You can follow me on Twitter @mediatorgregg and if you want to book me as your mediator or to speak at an event then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email Hunt ADR.

In this episode of No Disputing That I ask mediator Rob Langley to review what he feels are the five most important pieces of case law relevant to mediators in the UK. We also cover our fears around the introduction of compulsory mediation and how we would react to being sued for duress as a mediator. To get in touch, please send me an email or leave a voice message which could feature in a future episode. Make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes.  You can follow me on Twitter @mediatorgregg and if you want to book me as your mediator or to speak at an event then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email Hunt ADR.

My guest this week is Remy Gerbay, a partner in Hughes Hubbard & Reed’s Arbitration group in Washington. Remy sits as an arbitrator and is the director of an LLM program in arbitration at Queen Mary University of London.  In this episode we discuss Remy's experience as a senior official in a major arbitration institution, we look at differences between civil and common law arbitrators, and Remy shares a hilarious mishap he once suffered at an arbitration event. All that an much more on arbitration, mediation and MedArb. WARNING: The first two or three minutes is football (soccer) heavy. To get in touch, please send me an email or leave a voice message which could feature in a future episode. Make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes.  You can follow me on Twitter @mediatorgregg and if you want to book me as your mediator or to speak at an event then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email Hunt ADR.

In this episode of No Disputing That we move away from the world of mediation and arbitration and instead take a look at something very important to me, and to thousands of others across the country - foodbanks. I discuss the invaluable contribution that foodbanks make to society with John Ratomski, founder of Irons Supporting Foodbanks, in Newham, London. Like me, John was initially inspired by the Fans Supporting Foodbanks movement in Liverpool, and John used that inspiration to make a significant contribution to the lives of thousands in his area. What John has achieved since founding Irons Supporting Foodbanks is nothing short of inspirational itself. I hope this podcast inspires you to look for your nearest foodbank and help out in whatever way possible. There has never been a time when your support would mean more.  If you only ever listen to one podcast in this series, make it this one, and let's do our best to make sure there is no room for hunger in our society. Note: There was a lot to fit in to half an hour and I ask for forgiveness if some of the editing is not to professional standards!!!

Colin Rule is one of those people who you feel good to know. His journey has taken him from the Windy City to the Silicon Valley with so many stops in between. Colin was there at the birth (if not conception) of Online Dispute Resolution (ODR). At eBay he developed an ODR platform which was used to resolve more than 60 million disputes a year. That's not a typo.  60 million disputes a year! Colin and I discuss how ODR has developed since we first met during an event in Brussels c. 2001 where I was leading a team launching Europe's first ever ODR scheme - for Ford Motor Company. We discuss the scale difference between the UK and the giants of the US, China and India. We discuss ODR in the UK and Colin's view that whilst Blockchain and Metaverse are still work in progress, AI is here - right now - and nobody should ignore it. Finally we cover how the pandemic has modernised and normalised ODR - especially for mediation. To get in touch, please send me an email or leave a voice message. Make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes.  You can follow me on Twitter @mediatorgregg and if you want to book me as your mediator or to speak at an event then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email Hunt ADR.

My guest this week is Tope Adeyemi, a Barrister and Arbitrator practising from 33 Bedford Row Chambers in London. Tope is dual qualified and was called to the bars of England & Wales in 2008 and Nigeria in 2019. She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of its London Branch Committee, and is regularly appointed to act as sole arbitrator in disputes. In this episode Tope and I discuss diversity and accessibility in arbitration, pointing to lessons arbitration can learn from the theatre (especially from the number one play of all time - Prima Facie starring Jodie Comer). We talk about international arbitration and the opportunity the Hunt ADR Arbitrator Experience Programme can give to aspiring arbitrators. We finish with the importance of being kind and not holding a grudge (where possible!). To get in touch, please send me an email or leave a voice message. Make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes.  You can follow me on Twitter @mediatorgregg and if you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email the Hunt ADR Training Team.

Roger Levitt is a well known mediator, mentor and is well established as a part of the Civil Mediation Council. In this episode Roger and I discuss preparing for mediation, complaints and how to deal with them, and whether it is possible to mediate too much!  We also discuss mandatory mediation and the possibility that it could be with us within the next six months! All that and much more in this 50 minute episode with Roger. To get in touch, please send us an email. Make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow me on Twitter @mediatorgregg and if you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email the Hunt ADR Training Team at adr@huntadr.com.  

The Federation of Small Businesses is the voice of small business across the UK. In this episode I’m joined by Ann Scott, Development Manager at the Essex Branch of the FSB. Ann outlines what the FSB is, what it does and why it has a very relevant role to play in the promotion of dispute resolution services to SMEs. We discuss a major issue for SMEs right now - late payments - and I explain how mediation can help to keep businesses involved trading and working together. They also discuss mandatory mediation, legal expenses cover and the energy and cost of living crisis.  WARNING: This podcast lasts for 57 minutes. You may want to put the kettle on before you start, or break it in to two sessions! To get in touch, please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter and if you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email the Hunt ADR Training Team at adr@huntadr.com.

No Disputing That continues with me in discussion with consumer dispute resolution activist James Walker. James founded Resolver, JamDoughnut and is a member of several consumer panels at the likes of the Civil Aviation Authority and the Office for Road and Rail. We discuss the consumer landscape, collaboration and personal engagement in the sector and why never to send drunk emails. We also touch on the question I have been asking a lot recently - is the ADR market stagnant? To get in touch, please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter and if you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email the Hunt ADR Training Team at adr@huntadr.com.

Part 2 of 2. I continue my discussion with Ben Giaretta, covering some embarrassing moments they have both experienced at conferences and events, some of Ben's more personal interests and some fantastic advice for aspiring arbitrators (and others) on the value of networking. To get in touch, please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter and if you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email the Hunt ADR Training Team at adr@huntadr.com.

Part 1 of 2. I’m joined by Ben Giaretta, a vastly experienced arbitrator and arbitration lawyer, to discuss developments in the world of arbitration. This episode sees Ben cover life as a Branch Chair of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Ben's upcoming appointment as a CIArb  Trustee and the internationalisation of arbitration. They then cover the trend for lawyer arbitrators over technical experts and question whether the flexibility of arbitration is being utilised to its full potential,. We close Part 1 on the return of arbitrator pupillage and the Law Commission's review of the UK Arbitration Act.  To get in touch, please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter and if you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk. For information about training to be a mediator email the Hunt ADR Training Team at adr@huntadr.com.

It is International Mediation Awareness Week (IMAW) 2022 and in this episode of No Disputing I speak with Will Chalmers, CEO of The Mediator Network and founder of IMAW. Will gives listeners details on how to access and contribute to the 125 events taking place during IMAW, including how to watch and listen to any events you may have missed. He also gives great advice to aspiring mediators on how to build their profile and we discuss a whole raft of important issues the mediation market faces today. To get in touch please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter. If you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +(44) (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk.

Craig Johnson is an award winning paralegal who at the age of 25 became a Civil Mediation Council Accredited Mediator, after training with Hunt ADR. We dare you not to be fascinated by Craig's journey, from becoming a paralegal to running his own mediation business, with time for spicy pizza in Barcelona.  This episode of No Disputing That is taken from an International Mediation Awareness Week seminar I hosted, interviewing Craig about his journey so far. To get in touch please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter. If you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +(44) (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk.

In this second episode of No Disputing That, I’m joined by Matt Gatenby, Partner at travel law experts, TravLaw. Matt and I discuss post pandemic travel and look at some of the barriers to the use of mediation (and arbitration) in the sector.  Matt is known for being friendly and approachable and is proud to serve a vast array of tour operators, travel agents, trade associations, insurers and their underwriters. His skill-set encompasses all types of travel law work, with a specialism in regulatory advice, commercial drafting and high value litigation. A popular trainer and speaker, Matt is often asked to deliver in house seminars and appear on panel debates and he also contributes to various publications including Travel Law Quarterly and Solicitors Journal. He’s blogged on various issues, featured in various newsletters and has commented on industry issues in the trade press. To get in touch please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter. If you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +(44) (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk.

In this first episode of No Disputing That, I’m joined by Owen Lawrence, Chief Executive of Arbitra International.  Arbitra provides world-class selection options for arbitrations, mediations, dispute boards and adjudications. Its expert management team is well placed to provide trusted advice on the right person for appointment in your dispute, and Arbitra provides professional support services to its members, allowing them to focus, without distractions, on dispute resolution. In this episode, Owen and I discuss arbitration, plans for mandatory mediation and our joint love of chess - Owen gives advice to aspiring arbitrators. To get in touch, please send us an email or voice memo to mediation@gregoryhunt.co.uk - and make sure to subscribe so you are first to get all our new episodes. You can follow @mediatorgregg on Twitter. If you want to book me as your mediator then to acquire availability, check conflicts and discuss appointments, please call +44 (0)207 936 7070 or email info@arbitra.co.uk.