Professionally accredited Commercial, Workplace and Family mediation experts.

Avoid the courts, unnecessary costs, and conflict

Commercial and marine mediation

Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) are central to civil litigation, and our commercial and marine mediation services are designed to help you navigate any issues and reach an agreement that suits all parties involved.

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Workplace mediation

Mediation in the workplace is designed to facilitate conversation where communications may have broken down, and is targeted at settling disputes; whether the reinstatement of a workplace relationship, or optimal settlement, is the desired outcome.

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Family mediation

Latitude Mediations family mediation could help you and your family to resolve disputes without involving the courts. If children are involved, Child Inclusive Mediation (CIM) ensures that the children’s voices are heard.

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What is mediation?

The days of disproportionate legal fees, restrictive, protracted formal legal proceedings, and contentious correspondence are numbered. Individuals and their lawyers are instead choosing more pragmatic dispute resolution.

Mediation is a more cost effective and efficient process which provides considerable Latitude to participants to explore infinite solutions, and create a bespoke resolution quickly, so that they can move forwards.

Mediation removes the ‘win’ or ‘lose’ culture of traditional legal proceedings and is without statutory or financial limitation, so that as the process evolves, solutions can be created on terms that a judge or tribunal would not be able to award. Each settlement arising from a successful mediation is unique, and the undertakings contained therein may allow the repair of civil relations, if desired, which is rarely possible with litigation.

Mediation will facilitate constructive dialogue before matters become too entrenched or frustrated, issues misunderstood or facts embellished, and it will allow parties to understand the nature of the others’ allegations or grievances in a calmer, private and confidential environment, and to more thoroughly explore sensible, enduring solutions.

Mediation also allows participants to conclude a dispute quickly, avoiding the significant delays in the court and tribunal systems due to the backlog caused by COVID (currently said to be upward of two years in many courts), and reduce the inevitable stress and anxiety of those formal legal proceedings.

If you are unsure whether mediation could assist your dispute, or would like further information, please  get in touch.

Mediation benefits:

Fast

Mediation is often concluded within weeks as opposed to months or even years.

Cost-effective

See our highly competitive pricing structure! You will only be charged one fixed fee, including all preparation and preliminary meetings.

Flexible

The Latitude of options available to the participants to include in the agreement is without limit.

Private/confidential

Participants (and their mediator) sign a confidentiality provision which means it cannot be discussed with others, even after it has been concluded - keeping your disputes away from the court record, newspapers, work or social media.

Mediation is confidential!

Less confrontational

The mediator will ensure participants respect one another. This often allows participants to maintain relations upon conclusion of the mediation if desirable.

Mental health

Being embroiled in a dispute can be very stressful. Mediation with Latitude will not be.

Expert assistance

Latitude Mediation will always ensure that the most appropriate mediator is used to support you. All of our associated mediators are fully accredited and insured and have significant mediation experience.

Equality and diversity

We want to attract a diverse client base and we therefore reflect that inside our organisation. Our mediators are all equality, diversity and inclusion ambassadors and happy to support those that require further guidance (see our EDI statement here).

Dynamic process

Each mediation is unique. Whether online, in-person or blended, the mediation process will evolve throughout the process on the basis of participants’ desires and the mediator’s expert advice.

Confidence

With Latitude you can ensure the highest levels of expertise and professionalism, assuring that all participants will be treated fairly and supported throughout the process.

Latitude Mediation Ethos

Mindful of the impact disputes can have on the effective and efficient running of a business, finances and the personal lives of those embroiled in the dispute, Serena established Latitude Mediation to capitalise on her expertise in the mediation sphere and to bring together a wealth of mediation talent from around the UK in this unique collaboration.

We collaborate with a number of mediators throughout the UK and have working relationships with many more! Latitude Mediation also works alongside a number of other related (legal) businesses, in order to ensure each and every potential case is supported in the most efficient and cost-effective way.

The role of a mediator

A mediator’s role is to facilitate a settlement of the issues in dispute, and in order to achieve this everything discussed within private sessions remains confidential unless specifically waived. Unlike a judge in court proceedings, a mediator’s role is not to pass judgment on the merits of the issues in dispute, but to enable open and frank discussion.

A mediator will challenge issues in order to assist parties towards reaching an agreement and, if parties are at the same time legally represented, engage with those representatives and challenge the legal arguments being advanced, if helpful. Whether legally represented or not, a mediator will ensure both parties are able to state their case, address underlying concerns and ambitions, and work through the issues that are important to them; issues they may not have had the opportunity to explore or address in formal legal proceedings.

Is mediation right for me?

Mediation is highly effective and resolves around 85% of disputes. The Latitude of options available to participants is significant, and disputes can be concluded within weeks as opposed to months or even years. We believe mediation should be used in most disputes and the relatively recent move to ‘Compulsory Mediation’ by our judicial system is the right one.

However, mediation is not suitable for all disputes: If you have an undisputed debt (the other party acknowledges that they owe you money) a debt collector or a statutory demand may be preferable. If you are unable to locate the other party, or do not have any contact details for them, you may need a tracing agent first. Criminal cases are generally not suitable for mediation, albeit that non-violent criminal action such as bullying and harassment are often mediated.

Finally, if your dispute is complex and you need legal advice, then a lawyer should be consulted before mediating (it is also worth seeing whether you are able to utilise ‘free mediation’ schemes through local charities and community organisations).

Serena, founder of Latitude Mediation

Serena trained and practised as a commercial litigation solicitor in London and the South-West with Ince and Co, Bond Pearce LLP and Davies Johnson and Co, with emphasis on international shipping, superyacht design and build, as well as mainstream civil and commercial litigation.

Serena is acknowledgement in the Legal500 2024 & 2025 as a 'Leading Mediator', for her Commercial and Marine work and proven professionalism and excellence in dispute resolution. Qualifying as a mediator in 2008 with Clerksroom, London, Serena specialises in general commercial and marine claims throughout the UK, whilst also practising workplace and family mediations remotely and from her offices in Devon. Serena is also a Hybrid Family Mediator (allowing her to conduct suitable family mediations with confidences and with other professinals and advisors jointly).

Serena serves as a Commander in the Royal Navy Reserve. She has worked in a variety of roles; Commanding Officer HMS Vivid, MR Training and development provider, Command Leadership Management, senior mentor and a number of personnel centred roles, including Equality Diversity & Inclusion (ED&I) advisor, trainer, case-handler, and dispute resolution lead.

Serena has been a Panel Mediator for the CMC for a number of years, Founder and Panel Mediator of nexamediate and certified lawyer through the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Serena is also associated with and supports a number of charitable organisations throughout the UK. Latitude Mediation and all our associated mediators are fully compliant with the European Code of Practice for Mediators.

What Latitude Mediations clients say:

“Serena helped resolve a complex issue we had recently. We were very reluctant initially, but having spent some time in discussion with her prior to the final meeting we trusted Serena's advice and guidance and were optimistic that a positive outcome was achievable. The process enabled us all to draw a line under a very longstanding dispute which had caused us all a significant amount of stress and upset. I only wish we had done it sooner.”

– Anon, Somerset
"I was not convinced that you would be able to make any headway with this issue as it has been rolling on for some time. Thank you so much for all your time and support."

- Mrs S, Head of People (London)
“Appointing Latitude was instrumental in bringing to a swift conclusion a rather contentious dispute for our organisation. Despite the individual being very animated and combative during the dispute, the mediator was able to resolve the dispute quickly, and finally conclude the matter. She helped everyone concerned to reach agreement on departure terms and all concerned were even able to part company amicably, which was not something we ever envisaged at the start of the process.”

- Mr Hamilton, Devon
“Thank you… I wish we had instructed you sooner!”

- Mrs R Sussex
“I recently called upon Latitude to help me in relation to a dispute with my ex-business partner at a time when communications had broken down. Our mediator was on the case swiftly and helped me to get a satisfactory outcome to the numerous issues.”

- Miss T Somerset
“Serena and I have worked together on a number of personnel matters in the past year or so and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with her. Always keen to ensure individuals are at ease and comfortable with the options available to them, her professionalism is clear and her passion for dispute resolution very apparent.”

- Mr B. Devon
“Thank you so much for your support. The online platform was much easier that we had expected. I’m optimistic that we won’t need to engage you again on this matter.”

- Miss N, West London
“Thoroughly impressed with Latitude Mediation! A first-class service at a very cost-effective price point. I have already recommended our mediator to other lawyers and will be using them again.”

- Lawyer, Bristol

Fees

We know how important it is for you to stay in control of finances. Latitude Mediation operates on a fixed fee basis, meaning that you will not be charged any hidden costs or disbursements. We do not charge for any preliminary communications or administrative work where possible and we will include travel fees in our fixed fee. We are confident that we offer a competitive pricing policy and each quotation will be bespoke to your requirements.