Computer Supply Dispute

A law firm ordered a case management system from a systems house. The system took time to bed down but the supplier eventually managed to get it working. The supplier invoiced the law firm who responded with a claim for compensation for down time and disruption.

Proceedings were issued in the Queen's Bench Division. Statements of case were exchanged. The parties agreed to mediate and requested one of the dispute resolution panels on which I sit to appoint a mediator. My name was suggested and accepted by the parties.

I spent a day with the parties and their legal representatives in my chambers. At first, the parties were pretty far apart but, in the course of the day, I managed to coax them towards settlement. The deal that I facilitated was one in which there was some abatement of the final invoice. Neither party was completely satisfied but they went away with a settlement agreement and draft order that worked.

The settlement saved the parties tens of thousands of pounds in legal fees not to mention the loss of management time. My fee for the day's work was £1,150 + VAT