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Commenting on her award, Emma said: 'I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen as the winner of the Bar Council’s Law Reform Essay Competition 2022. I am truly honoured to be the recipient of such a prestigious and generous award.
'I chose to write about compulsory mediation having trained as a mediator this summer. I found the topic fascinating due to its potential to increase the efficiency of the court system and enhance access to justice.'
This year’s competition is generously sponsored by City Law School, University of London.
‘Crossing the Constitutional Rubicon: why mediation should be compulsory in all civil disputes’
By Emma Meadows
Mediation is a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which does not have a statutory definition. It ‘involves the use of a neutral third party who seeks to facilitate what is essentially a negotiation process to resolve a dispute’. While ‘mediation has enjoyed a global blossoming’ as part of the growth industry of conflict resolution, it ‘has not been accepted by the legal system in the way most would have hoped’. There have been calls for compulsory mediation to be considered in the UK to deal with court backlogs, especially following COVID-19-related delays. In July 2022, the Government released a consultation paper regarding the implementation of compulsory mediation in the small claims court. Steps have therefore already been taken to implement a compulsory mediation system. This essay will argue that these proposals should be extended, and that mediation should be compulsory in all civil disputes…
The full essay is reproduced below.
Emma Meadows LLB Law, LLM Governance and Devolution, PGDip Bar Practice is winner of the Bar Council’s Law Reform Essay Competition 2022. Emma is currently a paralegal in the homelessness team at Lawstop, having previously volunteered for Advocate and worked at XBundle.
Commenting on her award, Emma said: 'I am absolutely thrilled to have been chosen as the winner of the Bar Council’s Law Reform Essay Competition 2022. I am truly honoured to be the recipient of such a prestigious and generous award.
'I chose to write about compulsory mediation having trained as a mediator this summer. I found the topic fascinating due to its potential to increase the efficiency of the court system and enhance access to justice.'
This year’s competition is generously sponsored by City Law School, University of London.
‘Crossing the Constitutional Rubicon: why mediation should be compulsory in all civil disputes’
By Emma Meadows
Mediation is a form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) which does not have a statutory definition. It ‘involves the use of a neutral third party who seeks to facilitate what is essentially a negotiation process to resolve a dispute’. While ‘mediation has enjoyed a global blossoming’ as part of the growth industry of conflict resolution, it ‘has not been accepted by the legal system in the way most would have hoped’. There have been calls for compulsory mediation to be considered in the UK to deal with court backlogs, especially following COVID-19-related delays. In July 2022, the Government released a consultation paper regarding the implementation of compulsory mediation in the small claims court. Steps have therefore already been taken to implement a compulsory mediation system. This essay will argue that these proposals should be extended, and that mediation should be compulsory in all civil disputes…
The full essay is reproduced below.
Looking back on a year as Chair of the Bar
AlphaBiolabs supports vulnerable children and families with its annual ‘12 Days of Christmas’ campaign
By David Cosway (with the help of ChatGPT)
Due to advances in research, technology and techniques, AlphaBiolabs can now offer alcohol testing for head hair samples that are just 1cm in length
With the explosion of interest in governance and the growing need to be multi-skilled to keep career options open, adding an extra string to your bow is not without its merits. The Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (CGIUKI) Fast Track for the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme could be ideal for experienced professionals to reach chartered governance status
The 2023-24 COMBAR mentoring scheme for underrepresented groups is now open for applications - deadline extended to 12 October 2023
The North Eastern Circuit Leader on his trailblazing career, turbulent early years of practice and his mission to equip all barristers, regardless of their characteristics, with the opportunity to thrive. Interview by Glenn Parsons
From a CPS pupillage to Director of Legal Services at one of the largest prosecutors in England and Wales Michael Jennings describes the interesting and varied life an employed barrister in public service can lead
In 2022 Behind the Gown asked the Bar Standards Board to acknowledge online misogyny and sexism. One year on, the regulator’s revised Social Media Guidance doesn’t go far enough in confronting this issue, say Stephanie Hayward and Charlotte Proudman
Growing your junior practice via international conference and how to fund the trip: Daria Gleyze, Emile Simpson and Sajid Suleman share what they gained from the ChBA BVI Conference
Countering the gatekeeper agenda, troubling news on earnings disparities, spreading best practice in chambers, Pro Bono Week 2023, and the Rules of War
