Mediation testimonials
Comments from Core mediation clients:
"Great credit must go to John Sturrock and Core. They were an eye opener to me and I now much approve of the mediation concept. You saved me a fortune and endless agony.”
a business leader in Scotland after a successful mediation
“Please pass on my thanks to all of your team for their assistance with the mediation – I believe all of the parties are happy with the outcome and would definitely agree that it was a much more positive experience than a tribunal.”
a solicitor’s comment following a Core mediation involving an employment issue
"We are very pleased and relieved that we have achieved closure and I do genuinely hope that the other party also feels that it has been a positive experience. I am particularly grateful to you for encouraging us to persevere at the end when it seemed all was lost. On a general level I found it a terrific learning experience and my horizons have definitely been broadened in terms of considering different ways to manage disputes."
a legal adviser to a company involved in a Core mediation
“Once again, I am grateful for the assistance and support shown throughout the mediation which certainly went a long way to achieving a resolution to the claim. With the excellent record I've had with Core and mediation as a process, I will continue to consider this form of ADR in all the claims I handle!”
Paul Crawley, Profit Claims Specialist, Royal & Sun Alliance
“I was absolutely delighted with yesterday's mediation, which achieved a superb result. We settled what had become a hugely protracted and complex case, involving over the past three years, £20,000 + of costs, four solicitors, two Advocates, two QC's which had only just reached the procedure roll stage in the Court of Session. My client will now be able to move on, and with peace. I have to say that I was completely awestruck by the result and further convinced about the future of mediation - it is quite an incredible tool.
"I would also like to mention the quality of the welcome, accommodation and lunch at Core’s premises - all of which are as important as the actual process of mediation. The Core staff whom we met were extremely friendly and obliging and turned up with provisions at the perfect times. In short it was slick, effective and made our client feel at ease and able to cope with the mediation itself. Please pass on my thanks to all involved in resolving this dispute – I remain completely convinced by the Core project.”
a member of the Scottish Bar
“I wish we had known about Core Mediation two years ago, but better late than never. We were very impressed with their service, and by the constructive and imaginative way in which we were able to resolve the matters we were working on. Not only was it great value, in terms of both time and money, but we are now free to refocus on the needs of the business going forward.”
Group Company Secretary, major Scottish company
“...my clients were very happy with the outcome of the mediation and the level of service given and professionalism demonstrated by Core Mediation...I certainly hope that we will have an opportunity to use your services again.”
solicitor in law firm
“Individual reputations and dignities were preserved and maintained throughout and following the process...the successful outcome derived from mediation produced a 'win-win' result, leaving everyone with a real sense of achievement and success.”
a party to a dispute with a local authority
“I cannot thank you enough for all your help and guidance throughout the mediation...For the first time in six years I can look forward instead of backwards. All the energy can now be channelled into positive things like building the new business...There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that we would not be where we are today if you hadn't helped us through the process. Mediation was the key to making both parties face reality and focus on an outcome that could let us all put the past behind us.”
A party to a commercial dispute in Scotland
“I was perhaps the most sceptical of the board about mediation….You can consider me a convert and, if our industry as a whole was to buy into the process, perhaps the baggage of disputes would be lessened.”
the commercial director of a Scottish construction company
“Thank you very much indeed for your hard work, encouragement and professionalism yesterday in helping to bring this matter to a successful resolution. I know that our clients left the venue feeling that a line had certainly been drawn, and that they could move on. Mediation was, in my view, the perfect forum for resolving this kind of dispute. Days like yesterday make me even more committed to try and advance mediation in Scotland. As a Firm it is something we are now actively encouraging Clients to consider, and at an early stage of a dispute at that.”
Partner, law firm specialising in agricultural law
“On a general basis and having had time to reflect I'm satisfied that what was achieved was a good result for both parties. I'd also say that I was very impressed by the process which saw you become involved in the 'personal' issues as I've no doubt at all that, given the nature of this claim, it was never going to settle through any conventional approach. The settlement was extremely well received by the Insured who were very pleased that this very long and troublesome claim had been amicably resolved.”
an Insurance Claims Manager
“I'm very grateful to the whole team at Core for their support on this case - I saw in particular how much early work by the solicitors can be extremely helpful to the process, and your guidance on that was invaluable. It was fascinating to be part of a real mediation, and I'm even more sold on the concept than I was before. My client seems happy, and I have absolutely no doubt that mediation was the way to resolve this particular dispute.”
Solicitor involved in a major commercial property matter
“On my own and my clients' behalf, I would like to thank you and your team for your assistance in bringing such a long standing complicated dispute between the parties to a mutually acceptable conclusion. Both the mediation process and your organisation were instrumental in reaching a resolution for my clients in a very complicated set of circumstances. It was an interesting and rewarding experience, both professionally and personally, to be involved in the mediation with you.”
Solicitor involved in a Core mediation involving intellectual property and corporate issues
“All parties were happy with the terms agreed and parted on good terms - no acrimony, no bad feeling, no loser. It's the first time as an Insurer that I have been able to personally wish the claimant well following settlement and that type of personal interaction can only reflect well on our business. The result was a genuine feel good factor for me personally and, I believe, for all involved.”
Tony Newman, Claims Controller, Allianz Cornhill, following a recent Core personal injury mediation
“My clients were honest enough to admit to me after we concluded our session yesterday that they had approached the whole thing with a fair degree of scepticism. At the conclusion of the session they were hugely impressed and I received a lovely email this morning thanking me and asking if I could revise their standard terms and conditions by deleting the existing arbitration clause and putting in its place a mediation clause.”
Party Adviser
“I would like to personally thank you for all your efforts. It was a long day and, having never been in such a situation before, can honestly say it certainly was an “experience”. I am extremely pleased we have reached an amicable conclusion.... It may have been a long day but the alternatives were much less attractive!”
Managing Director SME
“Infinitely preferable to the legal process which we had already been through as part of our dispute. To us the real benefit of mediation was the fact that we were totally involved in the process - the exact opposite of what we had experienced in our legal case.”
Clients after mediation
“Savings in time and costs were effectively the costs of a 12 day proof in the Commercial Cause Court with a number of witnesses coming from overseas and diversion of time by at least 3 directors - pick a figure between £100k and £300k!”
Partner, law firm
“We thought that the mediation was extremely useful. The mediator made sure it did not turn into an argument or us against them scenario. I was also pleased that a number of decisions and actions were made at the meeting and we are hopeful that we will be able to progress our proposals in the coming weeks.”
Developer in planning mediation
“We’ll take back what we’ve learned and make changes to make sure this doesn’t happen again….”
Key player in a team dispute
“Once again my thanks for your support and advice over the past couple of years, I found the process and the mediation very worthwhile.”
Small business owner
“I thought that if anyone could assist in this difficult situation, it would be Core. I did not, however, anticipate that final resolution would be reached, knowing as I did how entrenched the parties’ position seemed to be prior to mediation starting.”
Senior solicitor
“I was very impressed with the mediation and the poise you brought to it. The fact that a settlement was reached has to be good for both sides. It gives certainty and a result that is acceptable.”
Senior accountant
“Both parties left here satisfied with the outcome and with the intention to work together in the future - that is what it is all about. I have no doubt that this would not have been secured without your assistance, for which my client and I are most grateful.”
Adviser following an IT dispute
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“In management terms we avoided delay of about another year, and instead of 2-3 days in court we had 1 day at mediation. Many hours for the preparation of the case for court were saved.”
Solicitor in difficult divorce matter
“The parties were able to reach a solution which no court would have been able to order. There was no delay and no opportunity for parties to malign each other. They reached the resolution with as much dignity as parties in this type of conflict can have.”
Solicitor in lengthy family dispute
“The process of the mediation provided the opportunity to get all the issues on the table and distil them down into the key areas of contention between the parties, a lot of this being achieved prior to the mediation. I also felt that the whole process was very fluid and flexible and allowed much more scope to discuss issues than through the more rigid court procedures, but still within a tight time scale.”
Lead negotiator in development dispute
“Overall I found the mediation process a very good way to achieve an effective result and this I believe was very much helped by the way Core managed the process before and over the two days of mediation.”
Senior director of construction company
“I found the experience of the mediation process stimulating in advancing the positive aspects needed to reach a satisfactory outcome for all parties.”
CEO of property company
“I write to express our appreciation of your expertise and sterling efforts leading to the settlement on Friday. With very complex issues and a lot at stake, it would have been all too easy for the mediation to degenerate into pointless arguments. With your help, all concerned remained on amicable terms and concentrated on the issues, helping us to reach the stage at a civilised hour where both parties were able to reach a satisfactory resolution.”
Solicitor in professional negligence case
Selected others:
“The aim from the outset had been to achieve a commercial settlement. In the absence of mediation, the best means of achieving that would have been "at the door of the court" - by which time the escalation of time and cost (both management and legal) would have rendered the possibility of any truly commercial settlement negligible.”
“I had grave doubts as to whether or not your service would indeed resolve our differences which had been going on for over three and a half years. It was a long day for all involved but, in the end, the main objective of solving the dispute was indeed achieved. Whilst I hope to avoid disputes such as this in the future, should I find myself in this position again I would have no hesitation in using your excellent services again.”
“It’s taken five years of time and money to get to the real issue here – and it took a couple of hours today”.