Arbitration

Yes, in certain cases. We’ll advise you on when it’s appropriate and how it works. Our Head of Children, Sarah Williams, ranks amongst the country’s leading children arbitrators.

• Speed. You set the timetable (subject to the arbitrator’s availability). From start to finish, arbitration is usually much quicker than court proceedings, with no risk of adjournments or unfinished hearings due to court backlogs or unavailable judges.
• Confidentiality. Your privacy is protected. The process is strictly confidential, providing you with peace of mind throughout.
• Choice of arbitrator. Unlike court, you choose your decision-maker and can select an arbitrator with the right expertise for your case. Once appointed, they manage every stage from start to finish, offering you confidence that your dispute is in expert hands.
• Flexibility. Arbitration is designed around you. You can decide to ask the arbitrator to resolve all issues in the case, or to limit arbitration to certain agreed issues. You also have the freedom to agree on the time and place of hearings.
• Control. You control the procedure – for example, whether there will be a hearing with oral evidence, or a decision based upon the papers concerned.
• Costs. Arbitration is often less expensive than contested court proceedings, as you can control the scope of the dispute and the level of disclosure, thereby avoiding unnecessary expense.
• Legally binding result. You achieve a legally binding outcome that is formally converted into a court order, giving you certainty and enforceability (except in very rare circumstances).

For an in‑depth example of how a successful arbitration could benefit you, please refer to our case study here.