Practice Overview
Stephen has personally mediated over 800 mediations with a 87% settlement rate (over the last year). He is ranked in the top 40 mediators in the UK in both Chambers and the Legal 500 Directory 2021 which describe him as having:
"a relaxed firm style with a sense of humour”
“a strong personality without being overbearing”
“gravitas which clients like”
“the ability to be succinct"
"He cuts through the nonsense and is practical, assertive and imaginative."
"He thinks on his feet and addresses the issues at hand during the mediation, coaching parties into sensible positions and balancing commerciality with the legal aspects of a case."
His approach is to identify the obstacles to settlement and help the parties get over them. Many of his mediations come from referrals or repeat instructions. Clients value his proactive "we can do this "style.
Stephen has a 360º experience of mediation: as a mediator, a mediation advocate and as a client himself. He understands what mediation is like for clients and their representatives.
He has published 5 books about how to get the best out of the mediation process:
- FAQs for Mediators (Bloomsbury 2017)
- A-Z of Mediation (Bloomsbury 2016)
- Setting Up In Business As A Mediator (Bloomsbury 2nd 2019)
- Mediation Advocacy: Representing Clients At Mediation (Bloomsbury 2nd ed 2018)
- Advising and Representing Clients at Mediation (Wildy 2nd ed 2019)
He is also a Visiting Lecturer at King's College London in mediation on their Masters in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution. Stephen is regularly invited to speak at conferences and workshops and judge at international mediation competitions.
Professional Background
After leaving Oxford with a history degree Stephen worked for the Government. He became a commercial litigation solicitor in the City for 30 years, specialising in the Lloyd's insurance market, insolvency, construction and Art Law
Other Experience
Stephen was a Chairman of a Lloyd's broker, 2 Lloyd's Managing Agencies, a Bio-tech company, a software companyand start- up incubator company.
Stephen is:
- dual accredited in the USA
- accredited by the International Mediation Institute (IMI) for International Mediation
- accredited in family/commercial (Hybrid) and workplace mediation
- a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- a registered member of the Civil Mediation Council (CMC)
- experienced in arbitration and adjudications in financial services, construction and employment disputes.
Endorsements
Stephen Walker is lauded by clients for his "ability to bring parties closer together without them actually realising that is what he is doing. He recognises the commerciality of settlement, and works tirelessly to bring it about". Legal 500 2022
“You were brilliant” – Claimant in a construction dispute.
“We couldn’t have done it without you. A truly fabulous result” – Highly experienced Commercial Litigator.
“It was very well done and achieved a settlement that I thought initially would never happen and certainly not on such fabulous terms” – Experienced Midlands Litigator
“For my part I will certainly be recommending you as a mediator and am not surprised that both sides were very happy with you” - Chancery QC
“Facilitative mediation my a***” – Solicitor, Mediator and Deputy District Judge
“You did an excellent job with tact and humour. You also managed to do that most difficult thing of sending everyone away apparently happy with their lot” – Experienced Chancery Barrister.
“I have no doubt that we will be turning to you again in the near future. I intend to let the rest of the department know about your services and to endorse your expertise” – Commercial Barrister and Mediator.
“Brilliantly done. It was a fun day” - Managing Director of an international trading company
“You were a magician to settle two disputes in one day” - Finance Director of well-known leasing company
“I found you to be very pro-active for a mediator and your input was vital in persuading my client to adopt what I would call a sensible commercial approach”. Commercial Solicitor.
“Very assiduous, incapable of being intimidated, imaginative, highly intelligent, determined and courteous” - Experienced Solicitor and Mediator
“I thought that you were most effective and pushed and probed at just the right times… I can see light at the end of the tunnel now after four years of darkness” – In house counsel for a national construction company.
“Calls a spade a spade and that was needed”- Experienced Commercial Solicitor
“I must say that last week’s mediation was by some distance the most constructive mediation I have taken part in,. For me the real difference was your approach, combining as is did a light touch with a willingness to address the legal issues where necessary. This left me with a sense that although the settlement was ultimately a commercial one it had been reached with an understanding and appreciation of the parties’ respective legal positions. This contrasts with the crude mechanistic approach I have seen used in the past which almost seems to make a virtue of ignoring the parties’ legal rights. You obviously have a real feel for the mediation process and I am therefore sure that you have no need of it but if asked to suggest a mediator I will have no hesitation in recommending you” - an Experienced Chancery Barrister
“You lent an extra pair of ears to my clients’ hilarious but interminable – anecdotage” – Senior Chancery Barrister