Striving for solutions through mediation.

We leverage a mediator’s impartial position in a wide variety of situations. PreFix is proactive with parties who are reluctant to participate with those they see as partisan. Disputes are as varied as the people themselves. PreFix rejects hard and fast rules, focusing on tailoring mediation to suit the needs of the situation. With extensive international, commercial and litigation experience, PreFix is mobile, resourceful and responsive, combining technical expertise, strong relationship building skills with creativity, persistence and tenacity.

Flexible and proactive

The Singh family dispute began in the mid noughties and had worsened progressively over time. Neil and his father, Arjan, had stopped speaking and Neil met a heavyweight law firm for advice.

Neil contacted PreFix saying that other members of the family were prepared to discuss the way forward but that Arjan refused.

Arjan was willing to meet PreFix but was very reluctant to attend a mediation. It just seemed so wrong to him to be forced to negotiate by his son.

A number of meetings with Arjan took place over the following months, the last one at the family home in India. At that meeting Arjan explained how his own father had brought the family together there to discuss important business and family matters.

Arjan agreed that a family meeting could take place there again.

PreFix worked hard to seize this opportunity. It was agreed that Neil and his sister would attend the meeting in India in person and that the other members of the family would take part from an office in London.

The mediation took place on that basis two weeks later. Although the meeting was at times painful, agreement was reached that enabled the family to move on and for relationships to be repaired.

Last to give up

The Williams Family Trust mediation struck many chords from my own professional past.

Listening to the claimant lawyer’s opening statement reminded me of a case I had done in private practice. It’s hard to present a case forcefully without making it personal and antagonising the other side, particularly when the dispute is between individuals.

As the atmosphere thawed, communication began between the investment manager and the family. I felt for the investment manager’s director. He was tied to his insurer’s rigid script, even though he knew that a full apology would have gone a long way.

A two hour period of deadlock was finally broken by one of the beneficiaries. Unless you have been there yourself, it is easy to underestimate the intensity of being a party in a mediation, how every sign and sound carries significance and the sweet relief as progress is made.

And, as the mediator, I was determined to be positive and persistent until the very last. Experience proves that extra effort on a mediation day can save the parties many months and years of strife.

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  • “During my career as a banker, I have learned that conflict is a reality. I have seen too many of those conflicts result in painful litigation.

    One of those conflicts involved a client’s family dispute – which could well have ended up in the courts. Jeremy worked tirelessly with the various family members to help them focus on potential solutions and to shift their mind set away from blame and the past. Jeremy had a clear vision of the future for them and that created sufficient momentum for the family to attend a mediation meeting. A thirteen hour negotiation resulted in an agreement that brought closure. Not only was litigation avoided but also the family could start to repair their relationships.

    I was very impressed with Jeremy. So I will be recommending Prefix to clients as a great way of resolving disputes in the future.”

    Anant Shah, Meghraj Group

  • “I found myself involved in a multi-million pound dispute between two other parties, and for years my legal team were not able to extricate me from it, instead running up significant litigation bills.

    Jeremy completely understood my goals, showed me an alternative path, coached me both on how to make the most of a mediation process and how to negotiate with the other side, and made a significant difference to the outcome on the day.

    I hope to never find myself in a similar situation again, but if I do then Jeremy will be the first person I call.”

    CEO, Technology business, London

  • “Our business was facing difficult and potentially damaging litigation.
    We embarked on mediation and  I benefited enormously from Jeremy’s experience and invaluable support throughout the process. He helped us prepare thoroughly so we had the best chance of a successful outcome.
    Ultimately, we found a settlement that brought an end to the litigation, minimised disruption and avoided serious consequences for the company. Jeremy’s involvement was key to this.”

    Steven Bowen, CEO Minerva Group

  • “I had been being threatened with legal action by a large energy company for over a year. I didn’t want to involve lawyers and I definitely didn’t want the case to end up in the courts.  I reached out to Jeremy to seek his help on how best to negotiate with them. Jeremy came up with a practical plan and walked me through all its stages and discussed probable outcomes and various scenarios, which gave me a lot of comfort. He was professional, very supportive and confident in how we should speak and correspond with the company. The company ended up withdrawing their claim and dropping the case. If it wasn’t for Jeremy I would most likely end up in a stressful court case and with huge legal bills. With him I got the outcome I wanted in a surprisingly short time and with little cost.”

    DB, London