8 June – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – SJ Berwin is pleased to announce the recruitment of leading mediator Phillip Howell-Richardson from Morgan Cole. Phillip joins the firm as a Consultant on 1 August 2005. He has over 15 years experience as a top mediator and has had extensive involvement with the development of mediation in the UK. He mediates approximately 50 cases a year.
Phillip has mediated successfully a wide range of disputes including insurance, IT, intellectual property, professional negligence, construction and engineering, property (including inheritance and agriculture issues), joint venture and distribution agreements, personal injury, employment and environment claims as well as commercial and contract disputes. In particular he has mediated several leading class actions, multi-party claims and international disputes.
He is the Honorary Chairman of ADR Net, a nationwide group of mediators, an accredited mediator with ADR Group and Chairman of their Training and Quality Standards Committee. He is a member of the Court of Appeal Mediation Panel and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators having been a member of the Institute’s ADR Committee. He has been instrumental in the creation of Court annexed schemes. Phillip has been described in the Chambers directory as being “one of the legendary figures in the area” and “a star on any list”.
SJ Berwin recognised that Alternative Dispute Resolution would become the commonplace alternative to traditional litigation in the UK, and formed the special ADR Services Unit under the leadership of David Shapiro in 1995.
Shapiro says: “We are very excited about Phillip Howell-Richardson joining our ADR unit. We have a very strong reputation in mediation and Phillip’s experience and expertise is an ideal fit for the practice.”
Phillip Howell-Richardson says: “SJ Berwin is a leading name in mediation and mediation advocacy and I am very pleased to be working alongside David Shapiro to develop and grow this practice even further. ADR continues to be recognised as the alternative to litigation and I am looking forward to being part of such a progressive team.”
Shapiro, at 77, will reduce the number of cases to mediate to 10 a year, concentrating instead on teaching and lecturing. Having been at the forefront of teaching judges and lawyers mediation know-how in the UK during the last 10 years, he is now concentrating on bringing the same expertise to lawyers and jurists in Europe.
David Harrel, the Senior Partner, will be joining the ADR Unit where he’ll concentrate on being a deal mediator. Shapiro, who may be this country’s leading expert on deal mediation, says “Harrel has the ideal temperament, knowledge and style to be the perfect deal mediator.”
Harrel says: “Having now obtained accreditation as a mediator, I am looking forward to working with David and Phillip and establishing my practice in this field.”
