Civil and Commercial Mediation

Resolving complex disputes while protecting relationships, reputation, and delivery.

I (Michael Hainge) am a qualified and accredited mediator, registered with the Civil Mediation Council.

I provide civil and commercial mediation for organisations dealing with complex disputes involving senior leaders, boards, executive teams, delivery partners, suppliers and stakeholders.

My approach combines more than 20 years’ senior leadership experience in the public and private sectors with psychotherapeutically informed conflict-resolution skills. This enables me to work effectively not only with the commercial and governance issues in a dispute, but also with the trust, communication and relationship dynamics that often prevent resolution.

The aim is always practical: to help parties move from entrenched positions towards a clear, workable and durable agreement.

When mediation can help

Mediation is particularly valuable where a dispute is becoming entrenched, where ongoing relationships matter, or where formal legal action would be slow, costly or damaging to delivery.

I mediate disputes including:

Conflicts between senior leaders, directors and executive teams
Board, governance and accountability disputes
Disputes within local authorities, arm’s-length organisations and public-sector partnerships
Contractor, supplier, commissioning and procurement disputes
Joint-venture, partnership and stakeholder disagreements
Workplace and team conflict, particularly involving senior staff
Organisational change, restructuring and role-boundary disputes
Commercial, contractual and reputational-risk disputes

A practical, confidential process

I provide a calm, structured and impartial process tailored to the parties and the dispute.

The process normally includes:

Initial discussion — a confidential conversation with the instructing party or adviser to understand the dispute, the parties and whether mediation is appropriate.
Pre-mediation engagement — confidential discussions with each party to understand their concerns, interests, priorities and desired outcomes.
Mediation day — a carefully managed combination of private meetings and facilitated joint discussion, depending on what is most likely to help the parties make progress.
Reality-testing and option development — helping parties assess risk, cost, delay, relationship consequences and realistic options for resolution.
Agreement — where resolution is reached, helping the parties record clear, practical and workable terms.

Mediation is confidential, voluntary and without prejudice. I remain impartial throughout and do not provide therapy, legal advice or investigation services within a mediation.

Psychotherapeutically informed conflict resolution

I am an accredited integrative psychotherapist and a member of the National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society.

This background strengthens my ability to listen carefully, manage strong emotion, understand power dynamics and create the conditions in which parties can speak candidly. In mediation, these skills support a balanced, confidential and practical resolution process. They do not replace mediation with therapy.

Who I work with

In-house legal teams and general counsel
Law firms and dispute-resolution practitioners
Chief executives, board chairs and non-executive directors
HR directors and people directors
Procurement, commercial and transformation directors
Local authorities, combined authorities and arm’s-length organisations
Suppliers, contractors, joint ventures and partnership organisations

Location and availability

I offer online mediation across the UK.

In-person mediation is available in the South East and London, and elsewhere by arrangement.

Fees

Fees are tailored to the nature, value and complexity of the dispute, the number of parties and the amount of preparation required. Please contact me for a confidential discussion and a fee proposal.

Contact

To discuss whether mediation may be appropriate, please get in touch.

Michael Hainge
Ethical Commercial Ltd
Email: mh@ethicalcomemercial.com
Telephone: 07970 964004

Complaints Procedure

Michael Hainge is committed to providing a professional, impartial and high-quality mediation service. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the service provided, please let me know. Complaints are taken seriously and handled promptly, fairly and confidentially.

This procedure applies to complaints about the conduct of Michael Hainge as a mediator, the administration of a mediation, or the service provided by Ethical Commercial Ltd in connection with a mediation.

How to make a complaint

Please make your complaint in writing, where possible, to:

Michael Hainge
Ethical Commercial Ltd
Email: mh@ethicalcomemercial.com
Telephone: 07970 964004

Please include:

Your name and contact details;
The date of the mediation or service about which you are complaining;
A clear description of your concern;
Any relevant documents, correspondence or other evidence;
What outcome you are seeking.

There is no need to use a particular form. A clear email is sufficient.

What happens next

Acknowledgement
All complaints will be acknowledged in writing within 5 working days of receipt.
Investigation and response
All complaints will be investigated and a written response provided within 21 working days of receipt.
Where more time is reasonably required—for example, because further information, evidence or third-party input is needed—I will write to you explaining the reason and giving a revised timescale.
Outcome
The response will set out:
- What has been investigated;
- The conclusions reached;
- Any action to be taken;
- Your right to take the matter further if you remain dissatisfied.

Confidentiality and records

Complaints will be handled confidentially and with regard to the confidentiality of the mediation process. Information will be shared only to the extent necessary to investigate and respond to the complaint, or where there is a legal or regulatory obligation to disclose it.

A written record will be kept of all complaints received, the action taken and the outcome. Records will be retained for at least three years and made available to the Civil Mediation Council on request.

If you are not satisfied

If you are not satisfied with my response, you may ask for the matter to be reviewed. Please send your request in writing within 20 working days of receiving my response, explaining why you believe the complaint has not been resolved.

The review will be carried out by an independent person who was not involved in the original mediation or in the original investigation. You will receive a written response within 20 working days of the review being accepted.

Complaints to the Civil Mediation Council

If you remain dissatisfied after completing this complaints procedure, you may be able to refer the matter to the Civil Mediation Council (CMC).

The CMC is a professional regulator for mediators. It can consider complaints about CMC members where the complaint is serious in nature and could call into question the mediator’s suitability to continue practising as a CMC regulated mediator.

In normal circumstances, the CMC expects complainants to exhaust the mediator’s own complaints procedure first.

Further information about raising a concern with the CMC is available at:
https://civilmediation.org/concerns/

Complaints or concerns for the CMC’s attention may be sent to:
Complaints@civilmediation.org

Important note

This complaints procedure concerns the standard of service, conduct and administration of the mediation process. It does not affect either party’s legal rights, nor does it prevent a party from seeking legal advice or pursuing any other legal remedy.