Independent Mediators are very proud to announce that all ten of our members have been recognised in mediators section in the new edition of Chambers and Partners released in October 2023. This is a tremendous achievement for all.
We are delighted with the rankings and are extremely grateful to all our instructing solicitors and clients for their support in helping us to both achieve and maintain them.
Full listings for each of our Mediators can be found below. You can also click through to the mediators individual page (click on their name) to download their CV and see more information.
Stuart Chapman enjoys a healthy reputation for his abilities mediating domestic and international commercial disputes. His broad practice incorporates experience in company law, intellectual property and professional negligence claims, among others. “He’s extremely capable and not easily flustered. He’s in control and has a plan.” “He has a very calm demeanour and it never feels like the process is getting away from him. He’s prepared to canvass ideas based off his experience where it may help to move things forward. He’s one of the best.” “His particular skill is handling and inspiring confidence from difficult people. He’s commercially astute and realistic, keeping matters moving and preventing parties from getting bogged down over minor issues.”
Rebecca Clark displays particular strength in financial services-related disputes. She is routinely called upon to handle matters concerning professional negligence, insolvency and fraud, among others. “Rebecca is very good at getting to the bottom of what’s really in dispute. She’s very good at cutting through the legal side of it and getting to the nub of the more emotional side. She’s also great at identifying whether it’s worth pursuing a legal point or whether we’re looking at more of a personal legal matter.” “Rebecca’s really friendly, charming and very easy to work with. She gets on very well with all the parties and solicitors but at the same time is perceptively steely. She wants to get a resolution and is incredibly tenacious and will not give up. She’s innovative, flexible and great to work with.” “She’s very good at getting the parties engaged and thinking how best to solve a problem. She’s really excellent.” “Rebecca Clark is very good and manages to complete settlements keeping everyone calm. She is much in demand, like all good mediators.“
Phillip Howell-Richardson operates a leading commercial mediation practice and has a formidable track record of handling banking and finance, insurance and professional negligence claims. He also possesses expertise in construction and energy cases. “A very experienced mediator with very good follow-up and aftercare if the dispute doesn’t settle on the mediation day.” “He’s particularly good on cases where there’s different people involved; he’s an expert at navigating those. He’s really good at talking parties through the process and the nitty-gritty and is very good with clients. He has the right balance of seriousness and being polite and friendly that’s appropriate for a mediator.” “He always has a very good grasp on the facts and is very good at homing in on the key issues of the case. He’s very good at dealing with clients and parties who are very emotionally invested in the case.“
Kate Jackson is a pre-eminent mediator with foremost abilities in financial service sector cases, where she leverages her experience working in investment banks. She is also strong in insurance and professional negligence matters. “I learn from Kate during mediations. What’s most impressive is how extremely good she is at calming parties to keep them willing to negotiate. She doesn’t pull any punches and is frank and stands her ground. She’s persistent and ensures we’re committed to the deal, keeping it moving and reaching a settlement.” “She’s a great mediator. The clients warm to Kate – she’s clear and concise and really reads the room, which helps.” “Kate approaches all of our mediations with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity. She works tirelessly to help bring the most intransigent defendants to the negotiating table.” “Kate is extremely approachable and considerate of the parties. She has an ability to get the job done efficiently but also sympathetically, which is a real skill.”
Michel Kallipetis KC of Independent Mediators is a highly regarded mediator whose practice is active across a range of commercial claims. His experience includes mediating professional negligence, insurance and property matters, among other disputes. “He’s an absolute master; he’s my first choice. He’s very good with clients and getting people to see the reality of the situation but in a charming way. He’s also good at knocking heads together in a non-confrontational way.” “He’s the most formidable presence in the mediation circuit, and I give him my most difficult mediations. He deserves his fine reputation and works very hard to settle his cases.” “A very experienced mediator with a lot of gravitas, which is helpful when you need to persuade people to think about settlements. He’s very accessible and a very safe pair of hands.”
Jonathan Lloyd-Jones is experienced across a variety of cases. “My go-to mediator. He has such a calming manner that he can take the heat out of any situation. He’s really good at getting people to reflect and focus on what’s important. He has a great manner with people. He’s the consummate professional but he can also take mediations to a different level; he’s a standout.” “I enjoy working with Jonathan. He’s persistent, approaches cases with commerciality and is very helpful throughout.” “Jonathan is very knowledgeable about this area of the law and manages to achieve a careful balance of being efficient and no-nonsense, while always keeping an eye on trying to bring the parties to an amicable middle ground.”
Mark Lomas KC is considered a go-to for the mediation of significant commercial disputes. He is particularly experienced in professional negligence disputes, and is also strong in financial services and contractual cases. “Mark is fantastic; he’s the best mediator I’ve worked with. He’s able to cut through the issues in no time and ensure parties get to a resolution pretty quickly in the same day. His legal knowledge and views on a claim influence you as a solicitor and help to resolve the matter.” “Mark is a highly experienced and wise mediator.” “He’s the best commercial insurance and professional negligence mediator out there. He’s a good evaluative mediator and tells you what he thinks. He’s completely trustworthy and has a wonderful manner with both sides. He’s always prepared and is wonderfully hard-working.” “The grand master of professional liability mediation.” “Mark is one of my go-to mediators. He’s probably one of the leading mediators in his area. He’s very good with all sorts of disputes and gets to the heart of the issue really quickly. He breaks the complex disputes down, is excellent at multiparty disputes and is extremely strong.”
Bill Marsh excels at mediating high-value and international commercial disputes across a broad range of industries. “He’s one of the best-known mediators around. He has a good client manner and is excellent with lay clients.” “Bill is really impressive. He’s very realistic in terms of setting expectations. He has a good manner and tests boundaries without being confrontational.” “He is very connected to the mediation. He appreciates the tension and takes the time to understand frustration and what the clients are trying to achieve. He goes above and beyond and invests a lot of time in reading the material.“
Andrew Paton is “a very experienced and talented mediator and is very good at navigating the parties’ emotions. Andrew brings a certain gravitas and stature which ensures results. He’s not afraid to call it, enabling the parties to get to a point where they can achieve a result.” “He’s just so proactive in getting people to a point where they can agree. He very quickly gets to the main matters of the issues and has an incredible ability to get people to think about commercial realities rather than the stricter legal merits of the case. He’s very good at organising people and getting them to the place they want to be. He’s a successful mediator.” “Andrew is an excellent mediator. He’s calm, measured and personable – an excellent skill set for a mediator. His approach is subtle but engaging, helping to find outcomes to difficult cases.” “He is affable in a way that lay clients find reassuring, while still being extremely knowledgeable as to the law and not afraid to ask both sides to confront hard truths about the merits of their respective positions.”
Jane Player mediates on a range of commercial and contractual disputes, with experience in IT, intellectual property and media-related cases. She mediates disputes that are both domestic and international in scope. “Jane is gentle but steely. She’s able to demonstrate empathy and understanding while at the same time being able to speak frankly and increase pressure on parties to achieve compromise when it’s needed. All round she’s highly personable and professional, managing to achieve excellent results.” “Jane is incredibly impressive. She’s thorough, clear and plays a significant role in the success of a mediation.” “She’s really good. She’s very organised, commercial and has really good authority. The parties really take on board what she says.”