Geoffrey Brunton BA (Hons) is a qualified mediator General Information Elite Category Mediator Total Mediations Undertaken: 174 Settlement/settlement after date rate (last 30 mediations completed): 87% Feedback ratings: 2020 - 97%; 2021 - 96%; 2022 - 100%; 2023 - 98%; 2024 - 100% "Geoffrey was a fantastic mediator. He grasped the core issues quickly and quickly guided us to a resolution, which ultimately allowed us to avoid substantial legal fees." [25 January 2024] "..I thought you did a super job. I'll be sure to recommend you again." [12 January 2024] "Top notch." [16 March 2023] "Comments from a client officer [to internal legal department] included: "I must compliment you on your choice of Geoffrey, who ... proved to be immensely effective. I also recalibrated my view of the effectiveness of mediation. This was a tough, fast-moving process which yielded good results." [7 October 2022] "I just wanted to say that the mediation was impressively professional in execution and very well run by yourself." [7 October 2022] "Geoffrey was well-prepared and had digested a good-sized bundle in detail. My clients and I were very happy with his help today." [24 August 2022] "Geoffrey is an exceptional mediator, we have used him a number of times and he is always a pleasure to work with." [4 April 2022] "We were very happy with Geoffrey Brunton and his conduct of the mediation." [28 January 2021] ”I just wanted to say thank you for your assistance mediating yesterday. Your calm and considered approach was instrumental in the parties coming to an agreement... I would have no hesitation instructing you in the future.” [28 January 2021] ”Thank you very much once again for your most valuable assistance throughout today.” [11 May 2020] “Mr Brunton was very helpful in the days leading up to the mediation and extremely well prepared for it on the day in question. This was a complex dispute involving a fall-out between family members, and Mr Brunton struck exactly the right note - sympathetic yet persuasive - when discussing matters further with our client. He was extremely thorough and managed to promote a compromise that should also lead to a reconciliation between the family members, which he had identified as being most important to our client.“ [11 May 2020] “....absolutely brilliant.” [24 January 2020] “...an excellent choice of mediator...” [11 March 2019] “ Mr Brunton was an excellent mediator and had clearly done his homework on the case.....Would highly recommend.” [4 January 2019] “..Geoffrey handled the whole process extremely well throughout the day..... .” [20 December 2017] "The mediator and the mediation process were first class....." [8 March 2017] “I thought Geoffrey was excellent yesterday. He was friendly but firm and pushed the parties just enough to do a deal. I wouldn't hesitate to use him again.” [12 May 2016] "...excellent mediator.." [28 April 2015] "This was an extremely difficult mediation and a result was achieved. I am grateful the mediator managed to keep the process going despite very serious challenges." [2 October 2014] "Geoffrey demonstrated why he is one of the UK's leading mediators, with his preparation, sensitive handling, empathy with both parties, and appreciation of the personalities and agendas of the principal players, leading to a very satisfactory outcome." [13 May 2014] " Mr Brunton is exceptional as a mediator and I shall recommend him to my colleagues" [16 January 2014] " A thoroughly professional job, handled with sensitivity and humour". [9 January 2014] "Geoffrey, thank you. Without your help, guidance and genuine understanding of the issues and dealing with them in a logical thorough way, it is unlikely that we would have reached an agreement". "....... just brilliant..." [Leading Counsel (observer)] "There were moments of sheer genius in there." CORE SKILLS/STYLE Thorough preparation User friendly Manages high conflict Tenacious Commercially astute Empathetic approach to needs/motives Focus on real issues Proactive on options Facilitates solutions BACKGROUND/EXPERIENCE Solicitor Solicitor-Advocate (Civil) CMC Registered Mediator Certificate in Advanced Mediation Certificate in Online and Telephone Mediation Extensive experience of dispute resolution: litigation/arbitration/mediation with provincial and City firms Legal 500: "Outstanding"; " Excellent" Substantial experience as party representative at mediations KEY EXPERTISE Contract Commercial contract Disputes between family members including parents/ offspring and siblings Business disputes Misrepresentation Sale of goods International trade Commodities Shipping Carriage of goods by sea, road, rail Employment Professional negligence (Accountants, Barristers, Solicitors, Insurance Brokers, Estate Agents, Surveyors) Local authorities (services provided to) Insurance Marine insurance Land/property Boundary/Rights of Way Landlord and Tenant Building Disputes Joint Venture Legal Costs Shareholders Unfair Prejudice Directors' Statutory and Fiducuary Duties Partnership Fraud Franchises Insolvency PROFESSIONAL BODIES/ASSOCIATIONS CMC Law Society FEEDBACK “....a natural mediator” "I think you showed the patience of an extremely patient saint..." "He was excellent, helpful, patient." "Service provided by Mr Brunton both good value and effective" "Many thanks for your clarity of thought and much appreciated help." "The mediator did an excellent job and it was very impressive and professional ..." [22 July 2011] "Thank you for your assistance on Friday on bringing the matter to a successful conclusion." [29 July 2011] "Overall, a first class service from a first class mediator." [29 July 2011] "Agreement was reached on this case and I think both parties were happy with the results and with the mediator Geoffrey Brunton." [15 February 2012] "Good value."[27 April 2012] "I write to thank you for your mediation services on 25th September 2012 conducted in Leeds....... The mediation was for the record “The best money we spent on this litigation"....... Geoffrey, many many thanks on behalf of [opposite party] and myself who are now signed into a term Shareholder and Trading agreement. Our businesses have benefited immensely as a result of your services." [25 September 2012] "Thank you for your perseverance." [10 October 2012] "Geoffrey was instrumental in keeping the parties focussed on getting to a settlement rather than being distracted on other issues. His fairness and impartiality was evident in everything he said and did. I would use him again." [11 December 2012] "Geoffrey, thank you. Without your help, guidance and genuine understanding of the issues and dealing with them in a logical thorough way, it is unlikely that we would have reached an agreement." [11 December 2012] "Mr. Brunton brought with him to the table a bright approach that to ok the brunt of the parties forceful position before skillfully radiating it in a way that made it receptive to the other side. From him flowed effortlessly words like a brook that carried with it to a conciliatory shore all involved who had previously been on a collision course. Although the many rocks in the way made the voyage bumpy and however much he tried the parties never made shore with him, there might yet be a resolution in this matter if all concerned remain with the currents. " [7 February 2013] "Thank you for your sterling efforts and patience on Friday last. After the weekend we continued to negotiate and yesterday the parties settled.... ......... Thank you again. I think both sides were genuine in their relief after settlement and of course they managed to agree some terms which a Judge or Arbitrator simply could not have awarded." [12 April 2013] "Without Geoffrey Brunton's efforts and patience it is unlikely that settlement before a contested arbitration at the LCIA would have been achieved. " [12 April 2013] " We firmly believe that it was Geoffrey's intervention and persuasive skills that moved the other party to be reasonable in their demands such that deadlock was broken. He did an excellent job... " [7 May 2013] "Geoffrey Brunton was good and helpful" [18 June 2013] "Geoffrey did an excellent job, particularly bearing in mind he had to step in to cover for a colleague at the last minute. Geoffrey did well handling the opponent who my client had throughout the dispute found incredibly difficult to engage with. Geoffrey was pushy but in a good, realistic, objective way, and I have no doubt that this style is what convinced my opponent to settle. Geoffrey helped us to end a dispute which had been rumbling on for five years and my client is very happy with the outcome.” [18 June 2013] "Many thanks indeed for your work on Monday bringing this matter to a satisfactory conclusion" [7 October 2013] "Thank you for all your help yesterday. It was most appreciated." [17 October 2013] "Well prepared and thoroughly professional." [18 February 2014] " I wanted to add my personal thanks for your work on Friday in guiding the parties to the settlement. It was a pleasure to work with you and I do hope that we have the opportunity to do so again in the future." [ 2 May 2014] “Geoffrey was thorough and listened carefully to the parties' concerns, whilst injecting an appropriate level of humour. He assisted the parties to negotiate a settlement.” [21 July 2014] “Once again we thank you for your services provided. You did a fantastic job in reaching a settlement even when events took an unexpected turn. You remained resilient and delivered the results.” [24 July 2014] "The day was faultless...... excellent mediator, very good administration, reasonable fees. We were able to concentrate on the matter in hand, namely the mediation" [28 April 2015] “I thought Geoffrey was excellent yesterday. He was friendly but firm and pushed the parties just enough to do a deal. I wouldn't hesitate to use him again.” [12 May 2016] "Geoffrey did a sterling job on a difficult case. I was particularly impressed at his preparation and knowledge of the case." [9 November 2016] "The mediator and the mediation process were first class and I would not have changed a thing." [8 March 2017] "Managed to secure a seemingly impossible agreement." [26 April 2017] " I ...was full of admiration at how you developed things and brought it all together, whilst keeping to time.." [26 April 2017] "..Geoffrey handled the whole process extremely well throughout the day, and in particular had clearly taken a lot of time to familiarise himself with the detail of the disputed issues. I am most grateful for his assistance in bringing about an agreement." [20 December 2017] “Geoffrey was very competent.” [4 January 2019] “Mr Brunton was an excellent mediator and had clearly done his homework on the case......Would highly recommend.” [4 January 2019] “You were an excellent choice of mediator. I will definitely use you again.” [11 March 2019] “You were absolutely brilliant.” [24 January 2020] ”Thank you very much once again for your most valuable assistance throughout today.” [11 May 2020] “Thank you for your help and patience in resolving this matter today.” [11 May 2020] "We were very happy with Geoffrey Brunton and his conduct of the mediation." [28 January 2021] “I just wanted to say thank you for your assistance mediating yesterday. Your calm and considered approach was instrumental in the parties coming to an agreement... I would have no hesitation instructing you in the future.” [28 January 2021] "Geoffrey is an exceptional mediator, we have used him a number of times and he is always a pleasure to work with." [4 April 2022] "Geoffrey was well-prepared and had digested a good-sized bundle in detail. My clients and I were very happy with his help today." [24 August 2022] "I just wanted to say that the mediation was impressively professional in execution and very well run by yourself" [7 October 2022] "Comments from a client officer [to internal legal department] included: "I must compliment you on your choice of Geoffrey, who ... proved to be immensely effective. I also recalibrated my view of the effectiveness of mediation. This was a tough, fast-moving process which yielded good results." [7 October 2022] "Top notch" [16 March 2023] "I thought you did a super job. I'll be sure to recommend you again." [12 January 2024] "Friendly and candid." [25 January 2024] "Geoffrey was a fantastic mediator. He grasped the core issues quickly and skilfully guided us to a resolution, which ultimately allowed us to avoid substantial legal fees." [25 January 2024] All mediations dedicated to NJB