Matthew White - Mediation

Matthew is a skilled barrister and accredited mediator with over 25 years of experience in personal injury litigation. He is highly ranked in the legal directories and is described as having a “fantastic attention to detail” as well as “covering all issues with a great degree of knowledge.“ He qualified as a mediator in 2014.

Areas of mediation

• Personal Injury
• Nuisance
• Highways/ rights of way

Matthew’s approach to mediation

Matthew brings a calm, pragmatic approach to a mediation allowing parties to remain in control of the dispute and reach a settlement which is acceptable and cost effective to all.

Matthew aims to draw on his wealth of legal experience to assist the parties to reach an acceptable outcome without the need to go to trial / tribunal, avoiding the stress, uncertainty and escalating costs that can be involved in litigation.

He takes the view that whilst most personal injury cases can be resolved with a joint settlement meeting attended by the parties’ representatives without the need for a mediator, there are cases in which a mediator can provide valuable assistance. Examples of such cases include multi-party claims, and in particular claims in which there is a particular emotional issue between the parties such as where the defendant continues to employ the claimant. Matthew also takes the view that the parties can sometimes be assisted by a mediator in settling personal injury litigation because the mediator is able to focus each party’s attention on the cost/ risk benefit of proceeding.

The County Court in Bristol sometimes orders early mediation in personal injury claims, and Matthew is one of the barristers in Chambers who is able to conduct such mediation.