Local solicitors firms Biscoes and Verisona are collaborating on a new mediation company, Mediation That Works. The two firms have already joined forces, with Daltons from Petersfield, in relation to a family mediation company. Biscoes and Verisona have now joined forces to set up a new mediation company, specifically aimed at dealing with workplace mediation and employment mediation.

Mathew Smith is a partner at Biscoes, and Sue Ball is a director of Verisona. Both have over 15 years experience of dealing with employment matters, and regularly act for both employer and employee clients. As solicitors, both have seen the disadvantages which stem from the breakdown in a workplace relationship, and more particularly from the impact of litigation.

Sue Ball, director at Verisona explained “a breakdown in the relationship of employer and employee is costly in more ways than one. Recent research from Price Waterhouse Coopers suggests that the cost of replacing a competent member of staff equates to approximately 1 year of that person’s salary. That deals with the financial cost only, and does not take account of the stress, and very often ill health, which results from a relationship breakdown. Once the matter escalates to the issue of tribunal proceedings, then the situation only gets worse.

Mediation is a much better way of dealing with a dispute. Mediation is fast, much cheaper than either losing an employee and/or dealing with litigation, and entirely flexible. All of this means that mediation is far more likely to result in an agreement, continuation of the working relationship, and the avoidance of litigation.”

Mathew and Sue are both determined to bring their experience as employment solicitors to their role as workplace and employment mediators.