Stephen carries out many of his mediations virtually, and using the Zoom platform. The system works extremely well and has proved popular with both professionals and lay clients.

Full instructions will be sent to you once a booking has been made. The system is easy to use, and involves parties in no extra costs. Indeed, the costs are reduced by avoiding both travelling costs, and the expense of hiring special premises for the mediation. The host operator (Stephen) will create virtual “breakout rooms” for all parties, so that conversations can be conducted in total privacy, and there is the facility to convene in a virtual meeting room for the initial joint meeting, then retiring to the confidential separate rooms. The system is the same as a “face to face” mediation, except that we are all in the comfort of our own homes or offices, and Stephen has less walking to do!

When in a joint meeting, everyone in the room can see and discuss with each other; otherwise the meetings are separate – but the technology is flexible, and different people can be put into different rooms to discuss, at any given time.

Stephen’s practice is to send out more detailed instructions to all parties before the mediation, and to have a “dry run” with all sides and parties, on a date prior to the mediation.

There is a yet further facility for viewing documents on screen, and when agreement is reached and the terms of the agreement finalised, it can be scanned, and signed by all parties, in order to bring the dispute to an end.

The choice of medium is of course yours. The priority is to achieve a resolution of your dispute on terms with which you are content.