Areas of expertise
Commercial Contract Disputes
Breach of contract, supply, service and distribution agreements, and disputes between trading businesses.
Introduction
Most commercial disputes begin with a working relationship that has stopped working. Deliveries fall short, invoices go unpaid, a specification is disputed, or terms agreed informally are later remembered differently by each side.
By the time solicitors are instructed, the issues are usually a mixture of law, money and frustration. Correspondence hardens, positions become entrenched, and the cost of proving who was right begins to outweigh the sum in dispute.
What we cover
- Breach of contract
- Supply agreements
- Service agreements
- Distribution agreements
- Business-to-business disputes
Why mediation?
Mediation deals with the commercial reality as well as the legal argument. Cash flow, continuing supply, reputation and management time can all be brought into the conversation, and none of them would be relevant in court.
It is also fast and private. Most contract disputes settle in a single day, with nothing on the public record and no judgment against either business.
How ProMediate can help
Our mediators have spent their careers in commercial practice and understand how these claims are valued, funded and defended. We will help each side test its case honestly and privately before deciding what to accept.
Settlements often go well beyond a payment: revised terms, staged instalments, future orders, an agreed variation or a clean exit from the contract. We draft carefully so that what is agreed on the day is workable the following morning.
Why choose ProMediate?
An experienced panel
Barristers, solicitors and senior professionals who have mediated across the full range of commercial, civil and workplace disputes.
CMC Registered Provider
ProMediate is a Civil Mediation Council Registered Mediation Provider, working to recognised professional and complaints standards.
Nationwide coverage
We arrange mediations throughout England and Wales, at a venue convenient to the parties or at our own arranged rooms.
Online and face to face
Full online mediation on Teams or Zoom, hybrid sessions and traditional in-person days — whichever suits the dispute.
Flexible appointments
Evening, weekend and short-notice appointments are available, and most mediations can be arranged within two to three weeks.
Confidential throughout
The process is private and without prejudice. Nothing said in the mediation can be used later if the matter does not settle.
Commercial and pragmatic
We focus on outcomes that work in practice — payment terms, future arrangements and clean settlements — not on winning arguments.
Frequently asked questions
- Can we mediate before issuing proceedings?
- Yes, and it is usually cheaper to do so. Early mediation is encouraged by the courts and can be arranged within days of an enquiry.
- What if we want to keep trading together?
- That is one of mediation's real strengths. Many commercial mediations end with a settlement and a revised trading arrangement for the future.
- How much documentation do you need?
- A short position summary and the key contractual documents are normally enough. We do not require full trial bundles.
Request a mediation
Request a mediation, ask for a quotation or speak to our team about this dispute. Tell us briefly what has happened and we will suggest suitable mediators, available dates and a fixed fee — usually within one working day.