Defendant penalised after “unreasonably” refusing to mediate costs dispute
Newspaper group Mirror Group Newspapers has been hit with indemnity costs after the Senior Costs Judge ruled that it had unreasonably failed to engage in efforts to use alternative dispute resolution instead of going to detailed assessment.
Lord Chief Justice: Rulings of judges-turned-arbitrators need to be in public domain
A way must be found to put into the public domain the decisions of leading ex-judges who are now sitting as arbitrators, the Lord Chief Justice said yesterday. Lord Thomas’s speech coincided with the announcement that the now retired Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson, was returning to 39 Essex Chambers, where he would act as an arbitrator.
Dyson heads back to old chambers as Etherton becomes new MR
Lord Dyson, who formally retired as Master of the Rolls on Sunday, has rejoined 39 Essex Chambers, which he once headed. He will work principally as an arbitrator in all areas of law but with a particular focus on commercial, public international law and sports law.
CEDR to run press arbitration scheme
The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution is to run the year-long arbitration pilot scheme for the Independent Press Standards Organisation, the voluntary regulator set up by a host of media organisations in the wake of the Leveson report to replace the Press Complaints Commission.
NHSLA looks to mediation as claimant legal costs continue to spiral
Legal costs now account for 55% of the value of clinical negligence claims worth less than £100,000, by far the highest on record, the annual report of the NHS Litigation Authority has revealed. In response, it is now working to establish a permanent mediation service after a successful pilot.
ADR pilot for professional negligence cases re-launches after “disappointing” start
A pilot adjudication scheme for professional negligence claims has been re-launched with an expanded format a little over a year after it first began, following “insignificant” take up. The voluntary scheme has the backing of the Ministry of Justice as well as claimant and defendant lawyers and the Association of British Insurers.
Chambers launches “unique” arbitration service amid spiralling litigation costs
Kings Chambers has launched a new arbitration service, with its own website, in what is believed to be the first move of its kind. The service aims to be “quicker, cheaper and more efficient” and offers fixed fees.
Number of commercial mediations hits 10,000 a year
The number of commercial mediations has grown by over 5% in the past two years to around 10,000 every year, a survey has estimated. The report by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) also found that fees earned by mediators were climbing significantly.
