BOOK REVIEW
MAKING MEDIATION WORK FOR YOU
A Practical Handbook
By Kate Aubrey-Johnson with Helen Curtis
Legal Action Group
ISBN: 978 1 903307 93 9
www.lag.org.uk
AT LAST -- A PRACTICAL, ACCESSIBLE AND AUTHORITATIVE GUIDE TO MEDIATION -- NEW FROM THE LEGAL ACTION GROUP
An appreciation by Phillip Taylor MBE and Elizabeth Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers
Once again that very useful organization, the Legal Action Group has triumphed with the publication of another very useful book which sets out to de-complicate the often bewildering complexities of the legal process -- in this case, mediation.
As Lord Woolf remarks in the foreword, 'Making Mediation Work For You' does precisely that: it breaks new ground in that it's written for those for whom mediation is intended -- the ordinary citizen who is seriously affected by a dispute and who seeks redress without having to incur the expense or indeed the stress of going to court.
The publication of this book is timely in view of the dramatic reduction in access to legal aid for the aforementioned 'ordinary citizen.' Proposals currently under consideration by the Ministry of Justice to encourage more pre-trial mediation will attract a high readership for this new book almost certainly, so Kate Aubrey-Johnson with Helen Curtis are onto a winner here !
The beauty of the book and a notable characteristic which distinguishes it from so many other legal advice publications is its crystalline clarity. Praise be - you don't need to be a lawyer to understand it, although if you are a lawyer, you will appreciate its straightforwardness and accessibility. What wonderful time-savers these two latter attributes are!
In the words of Harry Woolf, 'this book should provide all the ammunition needed to conduct a successful mediation,' adding that it 'deals simply and clearly with the hazards of mediation' and should (therefore) become 'the standard companion of mediators....providing a way in which the citizen can, even without legal aid, find a way of resolving his or her problem'.
Which is why, if you are not a lawyer, this book, with its practical approach, guides you straight to the right questions to ask regarding mediation (whether you decide to brief a lawyer or not) and the right routes to take through the mediation process.
If you're a lawyer, however, and possibly a qualified mediator, you'll appreciate the book's comprehensive and authoritative coverage of its subject matter which examines the full spectrum of issues pertaining to mediation, from the process itself to the skills, strategies and techniques required and of course much more.
All areas of mediation are dealt with including civil, family, workplace and community mediation.
The eleven appendices plus case studies, glossary and detailed index of some twenty-six pages are particularly helpful when you're under pressure and pressed for time.
With most litigants now encouraged to mediate, this up-to-date handbook should be considered a must-have addition to the mediator's professional library, not to mention an enlightening read for non-lawyers. The publication date is stated as at May 2012.
