Ursula Caser
Mediator
Short Introduction
Ursula Caser is an international mediator specialising in complex multi-party disputes, stakeholder engagement, environmental conflicts, community mediation and public sector dispute resolution. Based in Portugal and Germany, she has more than 20 years of experience designing and facilitating mediation processes involving businesses, public authorities, communities, NGOs, research organisations and multiple stakeholder groups.
An accredited mediator in Portugal, Germany and internationally, Ursula is recognised for her expertise in commercial mediation, environmental conflict resolution, land use disputes, public participation processes and large-scale stakeholder dialogue. She is particularly experienced in helping parties navigate complex issues where competing interests, governance challenges and long-term relationships intersect.
About Work
Ursula specialises in multi-party commercial, environmental, community and public sector disputes. She regularly assists businesses, public authorities, NGOs, research institutions, communities and stakeholder groups in resolving disputes involving contracts, land use, environmental issues, public policy and governance matters.
Alongside her mediation practice, Ursula leads research, facilitation and stakeholder engagement projects across Europe. She has designed and managed complex mediation and dialogue processes involving marine protected areas, environmental governance, scientific communities, urban development and public participation initiatives.
Her mediation experience includes commercial contract disputes, property and planning matters, environmental conflicts, insurance disputes, debt recovery issues, neighbourhood disputes, public sector conflicts and large-scale stakeholder engagement projects. She is particularly experienced in disputes involving multiple parties, public interest considerations and complex governance structures.
Clients value Ursula's structured, facilitative and highly inclusive approach. She focuses on creating trusted processes that allow all stakeholders to participate meaningfully, helping parties explore interests, improve communication and develop sustainable solutions to complex challenges.
Expertise
- Commercial & Corporate
- Construction, Property & Planning
- Public Sector & Governance
- Industry, Energy & Environment
Languages
- English
- German
- Portuguese
Awards
- 2022
Nachhaltigkeitspreis – Bildung für Nachhaltige Entwicklung an Hochschulen
(Education for Sustainable Development at Universities)
Awarded by the State and City of Hamburg, Germany.
1st Place (National/International Classification). - 2013
CAP Communication Awards
Category: “Communication to Stakeholders”
Project: Disseminação de boas práticas para a biodiversidade na aplicação de compromissos agro-ambientais
(Design and moderation of Participation and Stakeholder Dialogue components)
Awarded by the European Commission – DG Agriculture and Rural Development.
2nd Place (National/International Classification). - 2008
Galardão Gulbenkian / Oceanário (EUR 100,000) – Portugal
Project: MarGov – Sustainable Governance of Protected Marine Reserves
(Eco-social dialogue for capacity building of change agents towards ocean sustainability; Case Study: Parque Marinho Professor Luiz Saldanha)
Awarded by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation & Oceanário de Lisboa.
1st Place (National/International Classification).
Memberships
- FNMC – Federação Nacional de Mediação de Conflito
Member (since 2013). - Forum Cidadania und Território
Member, Working Group on Participatory Methodologies (since 2013). - Associação Portuguesa de Geógrafos
Member (since 2010). - EMNI – European Mediation Network Initiative
Representative for Portugal; Executive Board Member (since 2008). - AMC – Associação de Mediadores de Conflitos
Member (since 2002). - DVAG – Deutscher Verband für angewandte Geographie
Member (since 1997).
Publications
- CABRAL, P.; CAMPOS, F.S.; DAVID, J.; CASER, U. (2021)
“Disentangling Ecosystems’ Services’ Perception by Stakeholders – An Integrated Assessment Based on Land Cover.”
Ecological Indicators, No. 126, 107660 (10 pp.), Elsevier.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107660 - MATTEUCI, G.; CASER, U.; MINTO, H.; TSIPSTE, O.; GEVAERD, J. (2021)
“La Mediazione in Europe – Situazione e peculiarità culturale.”
Rivista La Mediazione, No. 25, pp. 21–26 (Rome). - MARQUES CEBOLA, C.; LOPES, D.; VASCONCELOS, L.; CASER, U. (2021)
“Environmental Mediation: Definition and Design.”
In: Leal Filho W. et al. (eds.), Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions – Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16). Springer, Cham.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71066-2_113-1 - CASER, U. (2020)
“Methodencoaching zur Stakeholderintegration.”
In: Keller, R. et al., Stadteingang Regensburg – Studentische Entwürfe für den Bahnhofsvorplatz und das Keplerareal (pp. 8–9).
TUM / Morsbach Verlag Regensburg. ISBN 978-3-96018-101-9. - CEBOLA, C.; LOPES, D.; VASCONCELOS, L.; CASER, U. (2020)
“Mediação Ambiental – explorando a praticabilidade dos Princípios da Lei nº 29/2013.”
In: Mariana França Gouveia et al. (eds.), Anuário do ADR Lab / Yearbook of the ADR Lab 2019, pp. 87–122.
Universidade Nova de Lisboa, CEDIS. ISSN 2184-6200. - MARQUES CEBOLA, C.; LOPES, D.; VASCONCELOS, L.; CASER, U. (2020)
Mediação Ambiental da lei à Prática: à Luz dos Princípios da Lei nº 29/2013.
213 pp., Coimbra: Gestlegal. ISBN 9789898951342. - CASER, U.; RAMOS, N. (2018)
“The Institutionalization of Mediation: Reflections from an Expert Panel.”
Oñati Socio-Legal Series (forthcoming at the time).
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3256902 - CASER, U. (2018)
“Togetherness and Co-creation in a VUCA-World – Chances and Challenges.”
EASST 2018 Conference: Meetings – Making Science, Technology and Society Together, Lancaster (25–28 July 2018). Participation and Presentation. - CASER, U.; VASCONCELOS, L. (2017)
“A Fatal Eight Final.”
In: Lela Love & Glen Parker (eds.), Stories Mediators Tell, pp. 311–326.
American Bar Association, Chicago. - CASER, U.; CEBOLA, C.; VASCONCELOS, L.; FERRO, F. (2017)
“Environmental Mediation – An Instrument for Collaborative Decision Making in Territorial Planning.”
Finisterra, Vol. LII, No. 104, pp. 109–120 (Lisbon).
https://doi.org/10.18055/Finis6969