Mediation referrals increase, CEDR figures show

The number of court-referred mediations continued to grow last year, according to figures released by the Centre for Dispute Resolution (CEDR) this week, as the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and Lloyd's announced they are to retain mediation providers.Over the past 12 months, 27% of mediations dealt with by CEDR were referred direct from court, compared with 19% and 8% respectively for the two previous years.CEDR carried out 467 mediations during 2000/2001, a slight rise on the 462 carried out the previous year.The figures show that there has been an upturn in public sector mediation users; 8% of CEDR users last year fell into this category, whereas the year before it was too few to count.Other dominant areas are professional negligence, construction and financial disputes.

The total value of CEDR's disputes was more than 1 billion.

CEDR has also re-branded to distinguish its two core business areas of developing awareness and standards for mediation, and of actually providing mediation services.CEDR has re-named itself the centre for 'effective' dispute resolution, and the service providing wing of the organisation has been re-named CEDR Solve.CEDR Solve has been retained by the FSA to develop and run a mediation service as part of its enforcement proceedings.

CEDR won the appointment following a tender process.

Bill Marsh, director of CEDR's consultancy business, said: 'We were delighted to have been invited to take this work forward with the FSA, not least because it signifies a major shifting of attitudes in the City towards commercial mediation.' Meanwhile, Intermediation, the City-based commercial mediation provider, has been appointed to operate ADR clinics with the International Underwriting Association and LLoyd's.

The once-weekly clinics will provide guidance to IUA and LLoyd's members on ADR options.

Jeremy Fleming