Debt & Dispute Resolution

Going to court remains an expensive and daunting prospect. However, occasionally disputes are unavoidable. If you become involved in one the aim must be to resolve it as quickly and as advantageously as possible. Those who insist on having their “day in court” need deep pockets and strong nerves. Almost by definition, the outcome of a true dispute is unpredictable. Both sides must think they stand a chance of winning or they would not continue the argument. Sadly, in court, only one side can win (apart from the lawyers of course!). We will take your case all the way to court if that is absolutely unavoidable and if we think you have a reasonable prospect of winning but we will always look for a settlement and ways of alternative dispute resolution.

Ian Holdsworth has a Masters Degree in advanced civil litigation from the highly-regarded Nottingham Law School and can handle just about any civil dispute including:

• Neighbour and Boundary Disputes
• Property Ownership Disputes
• Adverse Possession (“Squatter’s Title”) Claims
• Debts and Money Disputes
• Contesting Wills and Probate
• Professional Negligence Claims (solicitors, accountants, surveyors, architects)

Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”)

There are many ways of settling disputes other than by going to court. For example, most injury claims and a great many other civil disputes are settled by negotiation. Negotiation between the parties, often encouraged and conducted by their solicitors, frequently resolves disputes long before a case reaches trial. Too often, however, the parties simply cannot sort out their own dispute and need some outside, independent help. That’s where alternative dispute resolution comes in. The most common form of alternative dispute resolution is mediation, which is a form of “facilitated negotiation” using a mediator as an independent, neutral go-between to bring both sides together, give them a “reality check” where necessary and get them talking. It allows for creative solutions to disputes that courts have no power to award and can often preserve rather than destroy the parties’ relationships. It is not a “soft option” : suggesting mediation as a method of settling a dispute is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of commonsense.