At SMR Legal, we understand that litigation can be costly and time-consuming. This is why we offer mediation services to help parties resolve disputes outside of the courtroom. Stephen Merrylees, our Nationally Accredited Mediator, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the mediation process, with a focus on achieving mutually beneficial outcomes for all parties involved.

Mediation is effective for many kinds of problems, including disputes:

• between neighbours – boundary disputes, noise complaints, property damage or conflicts over shared spaces;
• between separating couples or other family members;
• between renters and rental providers (landlords);
• about goods and services; and
• within the business – between partners or employees, with suppliers or clients.

What does Mediation look like?

Every mediation is different, however, they often involve parties to a dispute talking about the problem/s and coming to an agreement about how to solve it, with the help and guidance from an impartial person.

The mediation process usually has various stages, such as the following:

1. Preparation and Mediator’s Opening Statement –
   The Mediator will provide a brief description of their role, and the mediation process.
2. Parties’ Statements and Mediators Summaries –
   Each party has the opportunity to speak about the dispute from their perspective, with their statements noted and summarised back by the Mediator.
3. Identification and List of Issues/Topics –
   With the use of a whiteboard or equivalent, the Mediator will list neutral topics to assist in exploring the issues in a co-operative way.
4. Joint Exploratory Discussions –
   Parties are encouraged to refer to the list of topics and communicate directly with the other party. Together the parties, assisted by the Mediator, will problem-solve and explore potential agreements.
5. Private Meetings –
   If needed, the Mediator can provide the parties with an opportunity to express their opinions in a private meeting. This can assist parties to prepare to negotiate and generate proposals that are realistic.
6. Conclusion –
   The Mediator will assist the parties in fine-tuning any agreements reached, and adjourn or terminate the mediation as necessary.

Arrange a Mediation

Contact us today by calling (03) 5821 0777, emailing [email protected] or submitting an online enquiry here to learn more about how we can assist you.