Rise of the mediators

Approximately 8,000 civil and commercial cases are now referred to mediation each year, in a market which is witnessing rapid growth, new research shows.

The sector has grown 15% each year in the last two years and now has an annual value of £7.5bn, according to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution’s (CEDR’s) fifth mediation audit, a biennial event.

Women account for about one-fifth of mediators, although their numbers are increasing.
More than 70% of mediations settle on the day, with a further 20% settling shortly after. Average fees for a one-day mediation have risen in the last two years, up 24% to £4,279 for more experienced mediators, and up 9% to £1,517 for less experienced practitioners.

CEDR director Graham Massie says: “Mediation is now fully established as part of the civil justice system. All the major law firms will use mediation for commercial cases, almost as par for the course. Once you go out of the big-ticket cases, there’s still a long way to go, and we expect the field of mediation to grow further in the UK.

“Although there is growth, the field is still very dominated by a small group—there are about 50–60 names who have captured a high percentage of the high-value work. As with other professions, the superstars are doing very well, while a lot of people who’ve trained in recent years are still trying to get a toehold on the market.”