2023 marks the tenth occasion on which CEDR has released its biennial audit of the Commercial Mediation marketplace, in recent years in cooperation with the Civil Mediation Council of England & Wales. For over 20 years CEDR has tracked the development of commercial mediation in the UK as well as identifying key trends, challenges and possible solutions to issues.
MEDIATION GROWS DESPITE THE COVID-INDUCED SLUMP
Following a 35% market activity dip during the COVID period, case numbers bounced back to reach 17,000 in the year to 30 September 2022, a 3% increase above the pre-pandemic level. This may be a modest increase, but is a strong bounce back from more diminished activity during the pandemic.
ONLINE MEDIATION IS HERE TO STAY
Of the 17,000 cases, 64% were conducted online. Necessity, being the mother of invention, drove the rise of online mediation from March 2020onwards. It emerged from the fringe but many questioned...