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ADR
Organised schemes push mediation accelerator
Organised schemes are driving the 20% rise in mediations undertaken in England and Wales over the past year, according to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution. CEDR estimated that £11.5bn worth of commercial claims were mediated in the past year.
MASS unveils apprenticeship deal as it collaborates on PI mediation project too
Apprentices at personal injury law firms can now access the Motor Accident Solicitors Society’s diploma as part of their training after the society struck a deal with Damar Training. Meanwhile, MASS has joined forces with APIL and FOIL to create a register for mediators in PI and clinical negligence claims.
NHS implements “novel protocol” to speed mesh implant claims
The NHS has adopted what has been described as “a novel protocol” to deal with medical negligence cases involving traumatic complications following mesh implant surgery, in anticipation of further legal claims. The protocol concerns claims relating to pioneering operations carried out privately.
NHS Resolution calls for compulsory ADR before issue and “cards on the table” from claimants
Parties should be required to engage in a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) before the issue of proceedings, NHS Resolution has argued. It also “strongly” advocated the disclosure of liability and quantum reports prior to issue.
“World first” online arbitration platform launches
An online platform, described by its creator as “the only one in the world” to allow arbitrations to be conducted entirely on the internet, has launched with a pilot personal injury scheme. The platform, eARB, is handling over 20 cases as part of a pilot scheme developed by the Personal Injury Claims Arbitration Service.
Press regulator backs low-cost arbitration in “access to justice” bid
A voluntary newspaper regulator yesterday launched a dispute resolution scheme that requires an up-front payment of just £50 to kick off a legal claim, with a further £50 payable only if the case goes to final ruling. The scheme was set up by IPSO, the Independent Press Standards Organisation, created in the wake of Lord Justice Leveson’s inquiry to replace the Press Complaints Commission.
“ADR is failing” says Civil Justice Council but compulsion is not yet the answer
The Woolf reforms have failed to embed alternative dispute resolution (ADR), a major report by the Civil Justice Council said today, but it stopped short of calling for the introduction of compulsory ADR. However, a minority of members on the expert working group behind the report did back compulsion.
QC proposes ‘no disclosure’ rule for arbitrations
Arbitrations should begin with a default position of no disclosure of documents, a leading QC has argued. Peter Rees QC said for many disputes, each side had “all the documents it needs” and disclosure was a “time-consuming and expensive luxury”.
Appeal court judge outlines hesitation at penalising parties who shun mediation
Litigants who shun mediation because they want their day in court should not be penalised for their conduct, a Court of Appeal judge has suggested. The comments by Lord Justice Patten fly in the face of the generally harder line taken in recent times by the senior courts on those who unreasonably refuse to mediate.
Brexit will have “beneficial effect” on arbitration, Lord Chief Justice predicts
There is a “strong case” that Brexit will have a “beneficial effect” on arbitration in England and Wales, the Lord Chief Justice has predicted. Lord Thomas said it was “quite wrong” to suggest that Brexit made the law of the UK uncertain, and argued that it “will have no effect on London’s key strengths”.
Blog
QOCS and multiple defendants – why both sides need to be wary
The recent case of Cartwright v Venduct Engineering Limited [2018] EWCA Civ 1654 represents a very interesting development in the interpretation of rule 44.14. The question before the Court of Appeal was this: where, in a matter to which QOCS applies, a claimant has brought an action against multiple defendants, is a successful defendant entitled to enforce a costs award in its favour against damages recovered by the claimant from an unsuccessful defendant?
August 16th, 2018
Associate News
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