🎙 Joanna Page: From Litigation to Leadership — The Evolving Role of Mediation in Modern Law
Joanna Page, Partner at A&O Shearman and former Chair of CEDR, reflects on her career in litigation, governance, and mediation.
The conversation with Andy Roger, Principal Consultant & Mediator at CEDR explores the intersection of education, leadership, and evolving legal practice, offering invaluable lessons for both experienced practitioners and those entering the field.
💼 Learn more about Joanna’s experience, the future of mediation, and how listening, preparation, and innovation are reshaping the legal landscape.
⏱️ Episode Overview:
00:00 – Introduction and Joanna’s background at A&O Shearman
00:57 – Early reflections on legal education and training gaps
03:13 – Discovering mediation and the impact of CEDR’s approach
05:14 – From courtroom battles to early dispute resolution
07:08 – Why mediation training transforms young lawyers
09:21 – What law firms look for in trainees and client mindset
11:01 – The lawyer’s role in preparing clients for mediation
13:24 – Understanding interests: getting below the surface
16:04 – Lessons from CEDR’s Advanced Negotiation course
17:07 – Using the Thomas-Kilmann model in dispute resolution
21:29 – How mediation has evolved and where it must go next
24:59 – Designing flexible processes for complex disputes
28:00 – The art of listening — and why it’s harder than it seems
31:24 – Core values: integrity, energy, and determination
33:20 – The future of dispute resolution and opportunities for young lawyers
© 2025 CEDR Limited – All rights reserved
🎙️ From the high-pressure world of global finance to the collaborative space of mediation, David Wilson shares his journey
David’s career began in private practice at Simmons & Simmons in London, Hong Kong and the Middle East, before moving to Goldman Sachs, where he spent 27 years leading compliance, litigation and legal teams across Europe and Asia.
His work at the crossroads of disputes, negotiation and leadership ultimately led him to explore mediation. After completing his CEDR training, David founded Dominion Street, a practice dedicated to mediation and executive coaching. Today, he combines legal expertise with mediation skills to help professionals resolve disputes early, manage friction productively, and build stronger leaders.
Find out more about becoming a CEDR-Accredited Mediator: https://www.cedr.com/event/mediator-skills-training/
💼 Learn more about David Wilson’s transition from global financial services litigation to accredited mediator, and how he now applies mediation skills to leadership, coaching and conflict resolution.
⏱️ Episode Overview:
David’s career in private practice and at Goldman Sachs
Why mediation skills matter in leadership and negotiation
The shift from litigation to early conflict resolution
How mediation and coaching overlap in building effective leaders
The future of mediation in international and corporate contexts
Watch the video interview here: https://youtu.be/X1Qqq92V2Gs
#mediation #cedr #conflictresolution
CEDR & Linklaters Workplace Activism Discussion 00:00 - Introduction 00:28 - What is workplace/employee activism? 04:22 - Is workplace/employee activism a new phenomenon? 05:32 - Is there a heightened expectation around what companies should be doing? 07:23 - What are some of the factors that encourage employee activism? 10:47 - How to advise businesses around engaging with this challenging area? 13:08 - Managers need to be better equipped to deal with grievances before they escalate 13:56 - The risks of leading with policy 15:30 - What good can come from engaging positively with workplace activism? 20:17 - DEI initiatives and how it acts as a catalyst for workplace activism 21:55 - How can mediation help in instances of workplace grievances? 23:41 - Listening up is just as important as speaking up 27:34 - Setting up facilitated discussion sessions 28:42 - Practical tips for leaders on workplace activism
Watch the podcast here: https://youtu.be/39vJyjc7srA #workplaceactivism #workplace #employment #employees #activism #buisness #mediation #cedr © 2024 CEDR Limited - All rights reserved
This insightful conversation explores the crucial role Ombuds services play in resolving workplace conflicts and how mediator skills are essential in achieving resolution. CEDR's Chief Executive, James South speaks with four experts who bring extensive experience from both public and private sectors: Dr Youssoupha Niang, Judit Revesz, James Claxton and Estelle Ghyselinck. Contents: 00:00 - Introduction from CEDR Chief Executive James South 02:21 - Participant introductions 14:01 - Why would an organisation invest it's time and resources into setting up an Ombuds Service? 26:13 - How to measure success of an Ombuds programme? 30:59 - What is it about the mediation approach or process that makes it work well for an Ombuds service? 33:06 - What does the typical journey of case look like in an Ombuds Service? 44:43 - The importance of the mediator skill set for solving disputes 01:03:31 - Guiding parties through sensitive cases 01:17:00 - One tip for anybody considering embarking on the Ombuds journey
You can watch the podcast here on CEDR's YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/oPX2GxzqNQc © 2024 CEDR Limited - All rights reserved
Tony Coveney has spent 43 years as a career investment banker and asset manager, working for some of the worlds leading financial institutions, and is also a CEDR-Accredited Mediator. In this video Tony covers: 00:00 - Intro: Managed conflict is how you get better deals 00:30 - Why did you want to become a CEDR-Accredited Mediator? 01:56 - Working on infrastructure projects 05:26 - Creating safe spaces that allow employees to speak up 07:06 - The importance of managed conflict 08:36 - Are conflict engagement skills for managers overlooked? 11:58 - What are the benefits of the roleplay sessions on the course? 14:27 - What are your plans for the future?
You can watch this podcast here:https://youtu.be/qeEocBPrAuM © 2024 CEDR Limited - All rights reserved
Fraser Simpson is Associate General Counsel - Ethics, Governance and Compliance at The Wellcome Trust, a large philanthropic foundation, based in London, that funds science to achieve global health outcomes. Part of his role with the Wellcome Trust is building a culture where people feel safe to 'speak up'. In this wide ranging conversation Fraser speaks with CEDR's Head of Marketing Ben Thomson about: Video Contents: 00:00 - Intro 00:20 - Fraser introduces himself 01:16 - What do we mean by 'speak up' culture? 02:26 - How 'speak up' can improve well-being and create a sense of belonging 03:48 - What are the consequences of getting it wrong and taking a policy led approach 05:56 - The importance of getting the buy-in from the top 07:28 - What are some of the barriers to people speaking up 09:08 - Is there a renewed interest in 'speak up' due to external societal issues 12:08 - Being proactive in approaching issues 12:46 - Opportunities that arise as a result of a 'speak up' culture 13:43 - Speak up should be part of a wider strategy 15:23 - How do you as part of the legal function work with the 'people' teams in the organisation ? 16:22 - What can people so straight away to make a difference? 20:11 - How to make speaking up less intimidating? 21:52 - Do managers have the practical skills to be able to actualise the principles of speaking up? 24:18 - The issues associated with raising a grievance 26:55 - What questions should leaders ask themselves as part of any incitive to implement change? 28:36 - Final thoughts Disputes and dialogue are connected, and forward-thinking organisations are viewing this challenge at a strategic level. Download CEDR's white paper and learn how this applies to the rise of employee activism. Download CEDR's White Paper on Employee Activism Here: https://learn.cedr.com/employee-activism
CEDR Mediator Eve Pienaar discusses trusts, wills & probate mediation# Video Contents: 00:00 - Intro 00:19 - Very often there is a significant imbalance in power 00:47 - An example of a trust, wills and probate case 01:06 - A difficult situation for one of the deceased's children 01:29 - How did the mediator break the deadlock? 01:57 - The mediation resulted in the restoration of a relationship #trusts #trustsexplained #wills #willsexplained For more information: https://www.cedr.com/commercial/trusts-wills-probate-mediation/ © 2024 CEDR Limited - All rights reserved
CEDR Mediator Nick Pearson discusses an insolvency case he was involved with. Audio Contents: 00:00 - Mediation is successful in this field because insolvency practitioners, office holders, liquidators and the like - they don't want to go to court. 00:38 - Insolvency practitioners are very sceptical by nature, but they are also flexible and open minded. 00:52 - Directors being sued for preferential payments and misfeasance. 01:07 - Director hadn't give a reason as to why he wasn't going to be liable financially 01:22 - The mediator tells the director you have to explain yourself and he produces a lot of new material that hasn't been seen before. 02:02 - The director provides evidence showing his inability to pay. #cedr #disputeresolution #dispute For more information, contact CEDR: www.cedr.com © 2023 CEDR Limited - All rights reserved
CEDR Mediator Tony Allen discusses how mediation and the NHS Resolution Scheme can help to restore relations and trust with patients and claimants. Video Contents: 00:00 - People are afraid to be ill again because they've stirred the pot 00:13 - Rebuilding a relationship 00:23 - Acknowledging that someone who has been let down, has a voice and the right to be heard 00:33 - Making sure that steps have taken place to ensure there is no repeat and that lessons have been learned #cedr #mediation #clinical #medical
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/Anbhh0gyasQ
CEDR Mediator Fiona Colquhoun discusses a commercial mediation case with an independent company that was contracted to provide a number of services at a value of £12 million. Video Contents: 00:00 - Intro 00:16 - The company buying the services decides to terminate the contract 00:34 - There was a very poor relationship between the respective lawyers 01:12 - How did the mediator make an initial breakthrough? 01:34 - The parties worked better without their lawyers 02:21 - Dealing with the parties in the dispute directly 02:48 - Those with the authority get involved in the discussion #cedr #disputeresolution # lawyers
CEDR Mediator Heather Allen discusses how to run a joint session. Video Contents: 00:00 - Intro 00:18 - The defendants are usually very flexible on the question of joint meetings and are often guided by the claimant 00:53 - Joint sessions makes sense from a practical point of view 01:23 - Discussing with the advisors about a brief introductory meeting 01:38 - Working with a party that's new to mediation To find out more information, visit www.cedr.com
To watch a video from this podcast, visit here: https://youtu.be/P-yl2xCFG7U
Two senior executives in a national organisation who couldn’t speak to each other. The task faced by CEDR Mediator Neil Goodrum in this workplace mediation. Discover the steps taken to resolve this dispute: 💡 Facilitating dialogue through the mediator 💡 Bringing the parties together into the same room 💡 Setting out processes to enable collaborative working in the future 💡 Putting a periodic review structure in place
00:00 - Intro 00:12 - A large farm holding has parcelled out it's land 00:25 - One of the parties does not want their right of way to be used 00:42 - The legal arguments were explored over the course of multiple joint sessions 00:54 - The preparation for a property mediation 01:14 - Having a neutral third party allows the parties to vent and see the matter in a pragmatic way
View a video of the case study here: https://youtu.be/yofzuoMKoKc #cedr #mediation #property #building #disputes
In this podcast, we look at the question of how people can have conversations about politically sensitive and highly emotive topics.
CEDR’s Frederick Way, and Susanne Schuler are joined by Jess Brandler, the MD of Solutions Not Sides, an educational charity working with young people to talk about the Israel-Palestine conflict, to understand the methods that they use and how these frameworks can be adapted.
Susanne Schuler, director of training and consultancy at CEDR, answers your questions posed during a recent psychological safety webinar.
Including:
For more in information on psychological safety please contact CEDR: www.CEDR.com
CEDR Mediator Nick Pearson gives expert advice on how to navigate cross-border disputes. Video Contents: 00:00 - The importance of having senior individuals at a mediation 00:16 - An American company is suing a Scandinavian corporation 00:22 - The parties wanted to maintain their working relationship 00:48 - Devising a solution 01:44 - The structure of the deal and a plan for the future emerges 02:15 - Keeping the mediation on track #cedr #disputeresolution #dispute Watch a video of this podcast here: https://youtu.be/ALrSGvc0YyY
CEDR Mediator Tony Allen give expert advice on how to navigate clinical negligence cases. Video Contents: 00:00 - The importance of having senior individuals at a mediation 00:22 - A senior manager from the trust attends the mediation and the family is struck by this 00:49 - The cathartic nature of clinical negligence cases is highlighted 01:14 - How the negotiation process started 01:30 - A different negotiation strategy is suggested by the mediator #cedr #mediation #clinical #medical Ton find out more about the case, visit https://youtu.be/B5_oBsqwbJ4
CEDR Mediator Heather Allen discusses a dispute in a family run business and how being a neutral chair helped resolve the case. Video Contents: 00:00 - A board with only one non family member 00:17 - Three generations of the family are involved with the company 00:30 - Technical changes to the business necessitate the appointment of a new board member 01:00 - Coaching the parties to have better conversations 00:57 - The value of the claim and the franchisors demands 01:16 - Being a neutral chair
Watch Heather Discuss the case here: https://youtu.be/LZ--8oC3MNM #cedr #business #disputes #mediation
CEDR Mediator Felicity Steadman details a commercial mediation cases involving a restaurant franchisor and franchisee. Video Contents: 00:00 - The challenge in the case and how to arrive at acceptable discharge and release terms. 00:20 - Overview of the dispute. Restaurant franchisor and franchisee 00:29 - Franchisor alleges unethical behaviour on the part of the franchisee 00:53 - The franchisee was also behind on payments 00:57 - The value of the claim and the franchisors demands 01:20 - How to achieve a solution 01:52 - Participant feedback on the mediator 02:28 - New learnings for the mediator #cedr #restaurant #disputes #mediation
CEDR Mediator Stephen Bate details a dispute he mediated between a motorcycle manufacturer and a distributor. Video Contents: 00:00 - Intro 00:21 - Dispute between manufacturer and distributor in motorcycle industry 00:48 - Distributor brings a claim for £20 million 01:10 - Uncovering the background to the case 01:26 - The dispute arose because of hand written letter 01:59 - A joint meeting was set up to resolve the situation 02:36 - The manufacturer apologises and agrees to a payment 03:01 - Reciprocity can be very important in a mediation To find out more about commercial mediation, contact CEDR at: https://www.cedr.com/commercial/
#cedr #disputeresolution #automotive #motorcycle #motorbike #manufacturing #mediation
