Christopher Butterworth

Position: Accredited Mediator

Qualified as a solicitor in 1971. Full time Managing Partner for last eight years and actively involved in turning a long established firm into a modern legal business.

During his over 30 year career Christopher has dealt with a very wide range of contentious legal and practical issues, including both commercial and family disputes. In more recently years he dealt with non-contentious commercial work.

Has wide experience of working in and with businesses and has been a director of a variety of companies, and in a partnership for over 30 years.

Has been a trustee of several trusts and a charity and on behalf of clients has had much practical experience of the tensions and difficulties of dealing with situations where business and family interests conflict.

Christopher has over many years acted for farmers, those in the food industry and agricultural enterprises and understands their world and business.

Has had long and wide experience of IT and IP issues from the early 1970s to date, including contracting, dealing with suppliers, installing systems and disputes. This experience has been both practical and as adviser to clients.

Has always had an interest in design and graphics. Is a keen sailor and enjoys the countryside.

Mediation and other qualifications

CEDRSolve mediator – qualified 1995.
Practitioner Member of the Law Society’s specialist Civil/Commercial Mediation Panel
Fellow of Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Member of the Court of Appeal Panel of Mediators and a Law Society Local Conciliation Officer.
Regular writer on mediation subjects and involved in lecturing and training and development of ADR/Mediation
Member of the Institute of Directors, the Society for Computers and Law and the Law Management Section of Law Society

Mediation style and post-mediation feedback

“One of the best mediators … has come across”
“down to earth, pragmatic and realistic … He developed a good rapport with the parties. They were very happy”
“(CB) … got the parties to think in innovative ways of looking at resolving the dispute”
“Christopher Butterworth was great, a very accomplished mediator with a nice easy manner. … got hold of the issues very quickly”.
“Christopher Butterworth was superb and managed to gain the trust and confidence of .. (the) … client within the first 60 seconds … no mean feat.”
“(CB) .. was excellent .. he managed the parties and the process well and kept all four parties on the ball and interested. He applied the right pressure at the right times and the mediation concluded at a sensible time”
“Chris played several roles over the three days. It shows the importance of the independent chairperson. Chris was able to take the matter all the way from terms of reference down to the nitty-gritty of numbers in three days – he cut the wasted time. Chris was able ’to own the process’””
“Chris Butterworth was very sensible and calm, spoke plainly and engendered confidence in his abilities and established good rapport with the parties. He was neutral and even handed”
“(CB) .. was firm in his style and really got the parties to consider what might happen if they didn’t settle at the mediation. He was an extremely good reality tester and really kept the mediation going with energy and momentum”
“.. very impressed with Christopher – he has a direct and honest manner which .. (the) .. client found very appealing. He obviously knows his stuff, and prepared as well as he could given the very limited documentation … his stamina and timekeeping was impressive”.

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