If we listened only to the naysayers of this world, we would still be living without:- The aeroplane - "no chance of it ever becoming a commercial means of transport "- Engineer Magazine The telephone- "it has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication."- Western Union The car - "but this is only a novelty – a fad” -President of Michigan Savings Bank The TV - "People will soon get tired of staring at it"- Darryl Zanuck The light bulb - "When

On the 14th October 2015, Westminster Legal Policy Forum held a seminar on the future of the courts, the second part to which focused on access to justice and the role of technology. Below are some short notes of the proceedings. I have not included all speakers but just some of the comments that I found of particular interest and relevance to the role of technology in a modernised justice system. Professor Richard Susskind, IT Advisor to the Lord Chief Justice and Chair of

On the 26th July 2015 the UK Government launched a consultation on proposals to establish a Small Business Commissioner to help small business resolve supply chain disputes with other larger businesses. See https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/small-business-commissioner-role to participate in the consultation. Paragraph 7.13 makes clear that the Government see a role for mediation:- "Where appropriate the Commissioner will propose mediation to resolve a dispute” and 7

As from the 1st October 2015 it will be an offence for any business selling goods or services to people buying other than for the purpose of a trade, profession, business or craft to not inform those customers whose complaints they do not resolve, of the details of an Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) service that covers such transactions, is accessible and operational online, and has been approved by Trading Standards. Further, the business must say whether or not they wi

Michael Gove, who in May 2015 was given the duel role within the UK justice system and government of Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, used his first formal speech, at the Legatum Institute in London, to criticise our "creaking and outdated" justice system which has, through the barriers of cost and excessive formality, become inaccessible to a large section of society and set out his proposals for the future. He noted that :- " it astonishes businesses an

It was a pleasure to be invited to speak on developments in Online Dispute Resolution at the German Bar Association Annual Conference held in Hamburg on the 11th to 13th June 2015. The main theme and title for the event was "Conflict Resolution Is Changing. Is Law Losing Authority?" The event was held at the main Conference Centre in Hamburg. My session was primarily a panel discussion led by Markus Hartung, Director of the Bucerius Center on the Legal Profession in Hamburg.

I was pleased to be invited to speak at a recent (5th February) Westminster Business Forum on the forthcoming changes in consumer law and the implementation this year of the European Directive on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and coming into force of the Regulation on Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) for resolving consumer disputes online. The list of speakers and subjects, which included policy makers with key stakeholders, consumer bodies, trade associations, ADR pro

​In the news today is the publication of the ground breaking Report by the 15 strong ODR Advisory Group to the Civil Justice Council (of which I am a member ) for an Internet based court service with judges hearing cases online and with much more effort in helping people resolve disputes without requiring a judge. We have set up a website that will grow over time. It contains the full Report as well as additional material and interviews with experts. We suggest a 3 tier syst