Workplace Mediation

Conflicts in the workplace can have a devastating effect on the business, impacting on the wider team and potentially leading to the loss of key employees if the situation isn’t resolved.

Using mediation can often nip an issue in the bud before it escalates, encouraging those involved to improve their working relationship and find a way to move forward.

Two female lawyers having a discussion

Meet the team

Confidential and impartial

Our workplace mediators are specialists in this area, resolving conflicts before legal action is taken. Aiming to resolve the matter as swiftly and smoothly as possible, we work with both parties to agree an outcome and actions to improve their working relationship. It is also often used as a way of retaining key employees within the business who may leave if the situation isn’t resolved.

The process is impartial and completely confidential, allowing employees to speak freely without worrying that the discussions will be fed back to their employer.

Positive outcomes

Many of our clients are already clients of HCR, reassured by the ability to access mediation from a legal firm they already have a relationship with rather than an unknown third party.

Disputes can happen in any workplace, and we have advised clients in a range of sectors including professional services, veterinary, manufacturing, armed forces and education.

Most mediations are one-off matters without follow up however, generally they result in an improved working relationship. In some circumstances it may be that one individual is unable to continue working in the environment, but this generally results in them choosing to leave, without the need for a potentially difficult internal HR process relating to behaviour or conduct.

Photo for workplace mediation brochure

Specialist advice

Workplace conflict is a drain on a business. It leads to lost revenue, reduced productivity and increases in staff absence and turnover.

Our specialists are here to help you – find out how we have helped our clients by viewing our brochure.

Download our brochure

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Hear what our clients say about us

Whistleblowing and trade union disputes form part of Catherine Mitchell‘s longstanding experience in this field.

Legal 500 2025 Employment – Gloucestershire

Rachel Roberts leads the team and also acts as deputy head for the firm’s national employment practice; she is well versed in dealing with UPE matters, tribunal litigations, and restructurings.

Legal 500 2025 Employment – Gloucestershire

Further to the practice providing corporate support relating to insolvency and M&A in particular, the team has a vibrant standalone employment practice handling complex disputes, exit negotiations, and restrictive covenants.

Legal 500 2025 Employment – Gloucestershire

HCR Law excels across the entire spectrum of employment law, advising SMEs, globally active companies, and individuals.

Legal 500 2025 Employment – Gloucestershire

The team provides tailored assistance on all aspects of corporate transactions, from employment-related legal issues to intellectual property matters.

Legal 500 2025 Corporate and Commercial

Paula‘s kindness means a lot to me, and all the support she gave me has not only cleared my name from a false allegation but also provided me with excellent advice on how to move forward, giving me the confidence to put it behind me. Please pass on my sincere gratitude and appreciation to Paula for her swift response and for always attentively listening to my thoughts and worries. I am very thankful to her for taking on my case.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Client Testimonial HR Dispute

I cannot thank Chris enough for the help he gave me. This was at a time in my life when I was at my lowest. I found myself in a devastating position, left feeling very alone and destroyed emotionally at the loss of a much-loved career, that I had worked so very hard for. From the outset Chris went above and beyond. He helped us through a myriad of issues and was unerring in his support from the outset. This really helped to take the pressure off me and my family at such a stressful and difficult time.

The thing that I felt made Chris really stand out is his caring nature. The empathy he shows is such an amazing quality and it really helped me to start getting back on my feet. Having someone fight my corner and believe in what I was saying, made me start to believe in myself again. He negotiated a substantial settlement, but what he did for me personally is priceless. Thank you so much for helping me gain my confidence and my life back.

Client Employment Issues

Catherine has a refreshing approach that is client-focused and very responsive. What differentiates her from other legal advisers is that her advice is enhanced with a deep knowledge and understanding of our sector and business.

Her advice and guidance is not delivered in the form of a dry legal ‘tome’ but provides an incisive point of view on a series of options, along with a realistic assessment of risk for each approach. Crucially, this also get to grips with the practical steps needed to put their advice into action.

Catherine and the team are friendly and supremely professional, providing pragmatic, astute legal advice and guidance. They translate complex legal matters into clear understandable language that can be used practically by non-lawyers.

Moira Foster-Fitzgerald Chief Group Services Officer and Designated Safeguarding Lead for South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

Elizabeth is quite simply an outstanding employment lawyer.  From the outset her knowledge, expertise and guidance instilled confidence and trust, putting me completely at ease and transformed a very stressful employment situation into a very manageable one.

She is a great listener, very easy to talk to, super patient & empathetic with an innate ability to quickly pinpoint successful strategies to secure resolution.

I cannot thank her enough for all her efforts in helping me successfully resolve my employment situation

Client Unfair dismissal

Catherine and her colleagues have become trusted advisors who are without fail highly responsive, supportive and most importantly, proactive.

They keep pace with the fast-moving needs of the college, and offer a pragmatic, cost-effective service which is results-focused. Their understanding of the needs of our organisation is unparalleled, and the team’s expertise in the FE sector instils absolute confidence. They are focused on helping us to achieve our business objectives and are on hand to deliver skilled advice whenever a need arises.

Andrea Greer Deputy Principal of Weston College

Catherine Mitchell has been our principal employment law partner since 2009 and worked exclusively with us since 2016. Over the years we have developed a very strong working relationship with her built upon mutual trust.

Catherine has made it her priority to fully understand Direct Wines and Laithwaites, our culture and preferred ways of working to provide a highly professional service across all elements of employment law. She is pragmatic, responsive, measured and very driven to deliver the results we expect as a client.

She possesses excellent interpersonal skills and provides high levels of confidence throughout our business. Direct Wines has complete trust in Catherine’s professional abilities and highly recommend her without hesitation.

Matt Wayne, Group HR Director Direct Wines, trading as Laithwaites

I was in shock and extremely stressed and upset given the out-of-the-blue bombshell that had been dropped on me by my employer of ten years. Heidi managed to calm me down and put me at ease with her kind words and obvious knowledge of the legal position; she was friendly, knowledgeable and was able to explain my options in a clear way.

Successful settlement package negotiated thanks to Employment and Immigration Associate’s advice

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