Mediating online: the future or merely a sticking plaster?

This article reports the findings of a study focused on mediators’ experiences of mediating online following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. It argues that if an effective framework for online mediation can be developed then it offers the potential for a cost-effective and swift way of resolving disputes which otherwise may not be pursued by litigants, whilst simultaneously fitting with the current drive towards mediation becoming a more normalised method of the civil dispute resolution process.

The first part of the article summarises the development of mediation in the context of civil justice reform, demonstrating its increasing significance. The second part describes the research study undertaken, outlines the observations made by the mediators who participated, presents commentary on when online mediation may be more suitable than its face-to-face counterpart, and reports recommendations of how challenges to conducting mediations remotely can be overcome.