Robin Somerville

I have over 15 years’ experience as a mediator. I have particular experience in respect of unfair prejudice shareholder disputes brought under S994 of the Companies Act 2006 especially in respect of family businesses. Many of these relate to quasi-partnerships, directors' duties, extractions, exclusions, breaches of shareholder agreements and similar. I also regularly act in more general partnership, joint venture and contractual business disputes. Because of my previous technology and software focussed business experience, many of the disputes I work on or mediate relate to disputes over IT and online services. I have been a litigator or otherwise involved in litigation in over 1,000 cases of one kind or another spanning over 20 years in one forum or another. I am relentlessly focussed on problem solving and solution finding as a mediator and in all areas of my practice. I try to create an environment where parties at mediation are able to speak openly to me about what troubles them about their situation and assist them identify how these might be resolved by identifying a route to settlement. I test realities where appropriate and help parties identify their interests to assist in the development of workable solutions to resolve their dispute.