Civil mediation in Manchester \u2014 for County Court and High Court disputes.
CMC and CEDR accredited barrister mediators in Manchester, covering property, boundary, inheritance, TOLATA, personal injury and general civil claims across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and the wider North West.
Clerk&Counsel arranges independent civil mediators in Manchester for private clients, businesses, executors, personal injury claimants and instructing solicitors across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and the wider North West. Manchester is the largest civil litigation centre outside London, with a full B&PC (Business & Property Courts) presence and a busy TCC list at the Civil Justice Centre on Bridge Street.
Since the Court of Appeal’s decision in Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council [2023] EWCA Civ 1416, the Manchester courts — like every civil court in England and Wales — can order the parties to mediate, and refusing to engage in ADR without good reason routinely attracts costs sanctions under CPR Part 44. From May 2024, all defended small claims up to £10,000 in the County Court at Manchester are automatically referred to the free HMCTS Small Claims Mediation Service.
Every mediator on our Manchester panel is a practising civil barrister with trial experience of the same case types. That means the reality-testing that happens in caucus is grounded in how the claim will actually run at Manchester Civil Justice Centre — not just facilitation theory.
Civil disputes we cover in Manchester.
- Property disputes — boundary, easement, restrictive covenant, adverse possession.
- Landlord and tenant disputes, including dilapidations and lease renewal.
- Inheritance and probate disputes, including Inheritance Act 1975 claims.
- TOLATA claims — beneficial interest and occupation disputes between cohabitees.
- Personal injury and clinical negligence, including catastrophic and fatal accident claims.
- Professional negligence against solicitors, surveyors, financial advisers and accountants.
- Debt disputes above the small claims track.
- Neighbour, nuisance and Party Wall Act disputes.
The Manchester civil court landscape.
Our Manchester mediators regularly work on claims listed at Manchester Civil Justice Centre, Manchester District Registry of the High Court, and the County Court at Manchester. Most also accept instructions in matters listed at surrounding Northern Circuit courts, which keeps travel and preparation costs down for parties based in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and the wider North West.
Where a trial window or costs budget hearing is pressing, mediation can usually be booked and completed inside the pre-trial timetable, giving both sides the option of settlement before further disclosure, expert or trial-preparation spend.
How a Manchester civil mediation runs.
Position statements and a core bundle are exchanged around a fortnight out. On the day, the mediator holds a short joint opening then moves into private caucus with each party, testing arguments and carrying offers. Most civil mediations conclude with signed heads of terms by early evening, converted into a Tomlin order where proceedings are already issued.
Book a Manchester civil mediator this month.
Send us the claim number (if issued), the dispute type, the amount in issue and your preferred window. Two or three suitable Manchester mediators, dates and a fixed fee \u2014 within one working day.
Common questions.
Where do civil mediations take place in Manchester?
Most in-person civil mediations in Manchester are held at chambers, the mediator’s office, or a neutral meeting room close to Manchester Civil Justice Centre. Remote mediation via Zoom or Teams is equally common and often preferred where parties are dispersed across Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and the wider North West.
Which courts do your Manchester mediators cover?
Our Manchester panel mediators cover claims issued at Manchester Civil Justice Centre, Manchester District Registry of the High Court, and the County Court at Manchester, and regularly mediate matters listed on the Northern Circuit.
Is civil mediation compulsory before a Manchester trial?
Since May 2024 all defended small claims up to £10,000 are automatically referred to HMCTS mediation. Above the small claims track, mediation is not automatic but is strongly encouraged: after Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil CBC [2023] EWCA Civ 1416, judges can compel parties into ADR and routinely impose costs sanctions under CPR Part 44 on parties who unreasonably refuse to mediate.
How quickly can we book a civil mediator in Manchester?
Two to four weeks from instruction is typical. Where a trial window, costs budget CCMC or expert exchange deadline is pressing, we can often move faster.
How much will mediation cost in Manchester?
Mediator fees are quoted as a fixed sum per party for a half-day or full-day session, split equally unless otherwise agreed. Rates in Manchester typically start around £750+VAT per party for lower-value or single-issue disputes and scale with the amount in issue and complexity.
Are your Manchester mediators accredited?
Yes. Every mediator on our Manchester panel holds current Civil Mediation Council (CMC) or CEDR accreditation, appears on the CMC’s public register, and is a practising civil barrister with trial experience of the case types they mediate.