Mediating can be a lonely and a stressful profession, interacting and managing disputing parties with differing personalities, in order to assist them in obtaining that elusive agreement! There is much to be learnt from experienced mediators on how they have coped with difficult practical problems and characters.
Our experienced panel of leading mediators will endeavour to answer your questions with examples of how they have tackled similar problems.
Our Mediation Workshop Panel will comprise:-
Colin Bourne LLB (Hons) In 2023 Colin gave up a successful practice at the Bar to devote himself to full-time commercial and community mediation. Before that, he spent 15 years as a trade union officer. He specialised in employment and discrimination law and uses his skills as a negotiator in cases regarding property, wills, pensions, contracts, neighbours, and landlord & tenant, as well as employment and discrimination issues.
Rob Langley MA (Oxon), FCIArb, Solicitor (non-practising), Registered Mediator. Rob initially qualified as a barrister, then as a solicitor, where he progressed to Senior Partner of a 300-strong regional practice. He is now a very experienced mediator and practises across the UK, particularly in property, construction, probate and commercial disputes.
Professor Joe Reilly, BMedSci BMBS DipMedSci DM CertClinEd FRCPsych. Joe is a retired NHS psychiatrist. He now helps teams to resolve interpersonal conflict, and to support their staff with the emotional impact of working in healthcare. He is the NHS Workplace Mediator and Schwartz Round Lead at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust and a member of the Society of Mediators and the Association of Northern Mediators.
Colin Robertson (Chair), MBA, MRICS, MCIArb is an Accredited Mediator who achieved considerable dispute resolution experience over 45 years as a Chartered Surveyor in a wide range of industries, worldwide. Since 2015, he has specialised solely in Civil/Commercial, Workplace and Community mediation. He is a Panel member of the CMC, ANM and CIArb.
Cost: There is no charge for this event. Guests and non-members are most welcome, but registration must be made online via the CIArb branch website.
In order to pack in as many questions as possible, we are asking for your questions in advance - to be submitted to the (no-reply) email address of wibn12345@gmail.com. A selection will be chosen by the panel. All questions will remain anonymous to avoid confidentiality conflicts. Attendees will also be invited to submit questions on the night, and, time-permitting, we will try to fit them in.
Queries can be directed to Mark Thomas, Thames Valley branch committee member on 07802 630004 or mthomas@thomassands.co.uk
Location: Online Only
Date: 15 Sep 2025
Interested in becoming a member? Take a look at our Routes to Membership.
Some members of our branch have registered details of their specialities. To find a specialist in a given field of practice; utilise to our directory.
For more information about joining the committee, see our Committee Page.
The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators website can be found at ciarb.org and links to other arbitration and litigation sites are available there.
