The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) and ADR Group (ADRg) have joined together to launch a new service which aims to encourage businesses to solve their commercial disputes via mediation rather than litigation.
The Resolving Commercial Disputes panel will bring together senior lawyers and accountants trained in mediation and dispute resolution. The service is intended for FTSE companies and other large public and private sector organisations facing complex commercial disputes that result in protracted and costly litigation.
Panel members from the legal profession include Lord Woolf of Barnes, former Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales and author of the Woolf report on access to justice, and Cherie Booth QC. Among the chartered accountants involved are Joseph Wan, CEO of Harvey Nichols and Arthur Harverd, Chairman of the London Court of International Arbitration.
Mike Lind, managing director of ADRg said: βTo fully understand the complex commercial issues often at stake and to find a solution requires not just knowledge and experience but also innovation. The panel we have brought together has all these skills and companies who use it will have access to some of the best legal and financial acumen as well as boardroom experience available.
Resolving commercial disputes is a distinctive offering that comes at a fundamental time for companies as they face increasing litigation due to the economic downturn.β
For further information go to www.resolvingcommercialdisputes.com