Mark Small from Mediate Ireland has been appointed as a mediator to a new business to business Court Supported Commercial Mediation Pilot Scheme. The scheme is supported by Court Services of Ireland, the judiciary and will be administrated by Chambers Ireland. The Mediators Institute of Ireland, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Bar Council and the Law Society each will be providing a small panel of the top commercial mediators in Ireland to act as the mediators for the Pilot Scheme.
“This is a very progressive step for all these national bodies, the court services and the judiciary to take. It shows that mediation should be considered as an integral part of any commercial dispute and I am honoured to be part of this process. I strongly believe that the pilot scheme will demonstrate the benefits to both the wider business community and the Courts Service and will illustrate what is being lost through the delay in enacting the Mediation Bill.” said Mark on his appointment.
A significant advantage of this pilot scheme is that a business in dispute will get an initial meeting with one of the top commercial mediators in Ireland for free. Experience by Mediate Ireland Mediators has shown that if parties in dispute talk directly to a mediator about their dispute and how the process will help them, they are much more likely to mediate the dispute than go down the litigation route. This is a key part of the proposed scheme.
EU studies have shown that Mediation is quicker and cheaper than progressing a dispute using litigation only and has a very high success rate. In addition Commercial Mediation gives a better and more effective outcome that makes sense to the parties themselves and Increases the likelihood of both parties doing mutually beneficial business together in the future.
Mediate Ireland was established in 2009 as a specialist dispute resolution company. Since inception it has mediated disputes for Irish and Multinational companies, State and Semi-State organisations and private individuals. Mediate Ireland has become highly regarded in its area of expertise and as a result Mediate Ireland was one of a small group of organisations invited by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality to present its views on the up-coming Mediation Bill. This was a highly experienced group of seven of the leading Mediation & Arbitration Organisations in the country including The Mediators’ Institute of Ireland, The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and Dublin Solicitors Bar Association.
Mark Small & Mary O’Dwyer BL presented on behalf of Mediate Ireland at the Joint Oireachtas Committee in May 2012 and were subsequently invited by Peter Cassells, Executive Director of the Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention at NUI, Maynooth, to further discussions on the Mediation Bill.
Mark Small is one of the leading commercial mediators in Ireland and was elected to the board of directors of the Mediators Institute of Ireland in November 2013 and has since become Chair of the Ethics & Legislative committee. Mark is also the Specialist Liaison Officer for Commercial Mediation at the MII with responsibility for creating and improving relationships between stakeholders and members in the Commercial Mediation Sector and for developing the mediation market in the sector.
Further details can be obtained by contacting Mark Small by phone at 087-2268394 or by emailing mark@mediateireland.com
