Upon the receipt of a mediation application, our Centre will arrange for a preliminary interview with all the involved parties so as to understand the case background and any disputed issues in concern. This process forms an important evaluation step to assess the suitability of the case for mediation. If the case is considered suitable for conducting mediation, our Centre would choose and then allocate a competent mediator to the case (depending on the nature and complexity of the dispute, as well as the expertise and professional experience of our panel mediators).
Subject to the availability of both the disputed parties and the case mediator, appointment for mediation session would be made accordingly. Our Centre could provide a comfortable and completely independent place for conducting mediation sessions. Sessions can be conducted both during and outside normal office hours.
Mediation session usually begins with the “Joint Session”, where the case mediator would explain the whole mediation procedures together with some ground rules throughout the mediation. During the Joint Session, all the involved parties would have chance to state their point of views and express their concerns in turn. If no consensus could be reached during the Joint Session, or the case mediator decides necessary, “Private Session” will be held by the mediator with each involved party individually. Matters discussed or mentioned during Private Session(s) will be kept in strict confidence and will not be disclosed to any other party(ies) unless upon the express consent by the related party.
Mediation is an entirely voluntary process. As such, any involved parties, the case mediator, would choose to terminate the mediation at any time during the process.
If settlement agreement has been reached by all the involved parties, the agreed terms will be reduced into a written contract usually prepared by the case mediator. Such contract will become a legally binding document upon signatures and will then be enforceable under the law of contract.
We provide the above services for all involved parties