Online mediation
Online Mediation
Professional mediation from anywhere in the world.
ProMediate provides secure online mediation for commercial, civil and workplace disputes using modern video conferencing technology. Remote and virtual mediation gives parties the same structured process as an in-person mediation, without the travel.
Parties, solicitors and other representatives can participate from different locations while maintaining complete confidentiality, with private breakout rooms and a mediator who moves between them exactly as they would between meeting rooms.
Advantages
Why choose online mediation?
Participate from anywhere
Parties, solicitors, insurers and experts join from any location in the world.
No travel or accommodation
Travel time, overnight stays and venue hire disappear from the cost of settling.
Flexible appointment times
Early starts, half-day slots and evening sessions to suit diaries and time zones.
Quicker to arrange
Online dates are usually available far sooner than a mutually convenient venue.
Ideal across locations
Perfect where parties sit in different cities, jurisdictions or countries.
Secure and confidential
Encrypted platforms, locked breakout rooms and a strict no-recording protocol.
Environmentally friendly
Resolving a dispute without flights or long journeys cuts the carbon cost.
Built for multi-site disputes
Commercial disputes involving several offices or group companies work well online.
International Online Mediation
ProMediate regularly offers online mediation for parties located in different parts of the UK and internationally. Modern technology enables disputes to be resolved without the expense and inconvenience of international travel, and allows decision-makers in several countries to take part in the same day.
- International commercial contracts
- Overseas property disputes
- Partnership disputes involving overseas shareholders
- International probate and inheritance disputes
- Workplace disputes involving remote employees
- Disputes involving businesses with offices in different countries
Specialist qualification
Peter Causton — qualified International Online Mediator
Peter Causton is a qualified International Online Mediator, having successfully completed specialist International Online Mediator training with ADR Group. This specialist qualification enables him to conduct secure online mediations involving parties located in different jurisdictions and across different time zones.
Read Peter Causton's profileStep by step
How online mediation works
- 1
Initial enquiry
Tell us briefly about the dispute, the parties and any deadlines.
- 2
Appointment of mediator
We propose suitable mediators, available dates and a fixed fee.
- 3
Exchange of documents electronically
Bundles and position statements are shared securely in advance.
- 4
Secure joining instructions
Meeting links and breakout room details are circulated, with a technology test.
- 5
Private breakout rooms
Each party has its own confidential virtual room with its advisers.
- 6
Joint discussions
Joint sessions take place where they will help the parties move forward.
- 7
Settlement agreement
Terms are drafted and signed electronically where agreement is reached.
- 8
Conclusion
The mediator confirms outcomes and next steps, and follows up if required.
Throughout the day the mediator moves between confidential virtual breakout rooms exactly as would happen between separate meeting rooms during a traditional mediation.
Technology
Secure platforms, no specialist software
Microsoft Teams
Our default platform, with secure private breakout rooms for each party.
Zoom
Waiting rooms and locked breakout rooms, with the mediator moving between them.
Other secure platforms
We will use another secure video conferencing platform where appropriate.
No specialist software is normally required beyond one of the following:
- Laptop
- Desktop computer
- Tablet
- Smartphone
- Reliable internet connection
Suitable disputes
What we mediate online
Commercial disputes
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Contract disputes
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Property disputes
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Professional negligence
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Insurance disputes
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Probate and inheritance
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Partnership disputes
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Shareholder disputes
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Workplace mediation
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International commercial disputes
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Comparison
Online and face-to-face mediation
| Online mediation | Face-to-face mediation |
|---|---|
| Participate from anywhere in the world | Attend a mutually agreed venue |
| No travel costs | Travel usually required |
| Flexible scheduling | Venue availability required |
| Secure virtual breakout rooms | Separate physical rooms |
| Excellent for international disputes | Excellent for local disputes |
Both methods are equally effective. The right choice depends on the needs of the parties — and we are happy to advise on which format will suit your dispute.
Why ProMediate
Why choose ProMediate for online mediation?
- Experienced panel of accredited mediators
- Civil Mediation Council Registered Mediation Provider
- Qualified International Online Mediator
- National and international online mediation
- Flexible appointments
- Commercially focused
- Independent
- Confidential
- Practical
- Settlement focused
Read more about why organisations choose ProMediate, meet our mediators, browse our areas of expertise or view our fees.
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.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Is online mediation confidential?
Yes. Online mediation is conducted on exactly the same confidential and without prejudice basis as an in-person mediation. Sessions are never recorded, breakout rooms are locked, and everyone signs the mediation agreement before the day.
Is it as effective as meeting in person?
In our experience settlement rates online are comparable to face-to-face mediation. Parties are often more relaxed in their own surroundings, and decision-makers who could not have travelled are able to attend.
Can parties join from different countries?
Yes. We regularly mediate with participants in different countries and time zones, agreeing a start time that works for everyone and structuring the day around it.
Can solicitors attend?
Yes. Solicitors, counsel, insurers, experts and other representatives join their client's private breakout room and take part exactly as they would in person.
Can documents be shared electronically?
Yes. Bundles, position statements and draft settlement terms are exchanged securely in advance and during the day, and agreements are signed electronically.
What happens if someone loses their internet connection?
The mediator pauses proceedings until everyone is back. We take mobile numbers in advance and can continue by telephone or dial-in if a connection cannot be restored.
Can mediation take place across different time zones?
Yes. We schedule sessions to overlap working hours where possible, and can split a mediation across two shorter sessions where the time difference is significant.
Is online mediation legally recognised?
Yes. A settlement agreement reached at an online mediation is as binding as one signed in a meeting room, and the courts treat online mediation as a proper attempt to settle.
Request an online mediation
Tell us briefly about the dispute and where the parties are based. We will suggest suitable mediators, available dates across time zones and a fixed fee — usually within one working day.