Testimonials

a diverse and broad background in the law. He has empathy and is impartial – even in the more difficult mediations.

He has honed the skill of bringing people to a good and safe resolution whilst also focusing on their future. A key role of mediators is to get people to safely compromise, with proper regard to the important issues to them in the context of their individual circumstances – and Michael is able to do this.  His fee structure is premised on providing excellent value to clients in the mediation process.

Importantly, Michael is able to make a connection with my clients – they feel he’s as much invested in reaching an outcome as they are.

When i called Private Mediation I was able to reach Michael immediately.  He spent time explaining the process (and I didn’t realise until afterwards that when I first called him he was overseas on a family holiday).

Michael is an exceptional communicator. He was clear about the process and was professional in his communication with both myself, and my ex-partner who has an acquired cognitive impairment which added another layer of complexity to the process.

I was very happy with the mediation process itself. I had a lot of concerns and Michael was able to consider and address all of them. He proactively suggested possible solutions and was able to provide an explanation as to why it would be desirable to put certain practices in place. Similarly he was also able to identify with me when I was being unhelpful by going in to too much detail about certain situations. He at all times provided a balanced perspective, and I know my ex-partner also feels favourably about the outcomes of the process. When my ex-partner became agitated Michael was able to quickly and effectively de-escalate the situation and return the focus to what was in the best interests of the children.

We were able to achieve a mutually favourable outcome. I was also able to raise a few matters for amendment after having thought through a few things, and Michael was able to accommodate these amendments in a revised version which was endorsed by all parties. He also followed up to make sure the process had been satisfactory.

Michael has an exceptional understanding of the family law system and genuinely believes in the benefits of mediation. We had a ‘unique’ situation, with a number of concerns regarding new partners and other half or step siblings. Michael was non-judgemental and able to adjust his communication style to suit everyone.

I consider Michael a worthwhile investment to reach best outcomes for the children post-separation. I’ve already recommended him to others.

“ our sporting organisation. We had started legal proceedings, but decided we wanted to avoid going down the legal path due to the high cost.

The entire process with Michael was fantastic. Leading up to the mediation, Michael communicated with us several times over the phone and via email, clearly and concisely explaining the process for us.

The mediation itself went really well – Michael spent time with both parties, clarified everything and guided us at the start to ensure we both fully understood everything.  There was no legal jargon and Michael was able to make both parties feel comfortable. When things got a little heated, Michael was able to bring everyone back on track. Without his guidance, I believe we wouldn’t have got anywhere.

Michael also briefed us after the mediation session. I highly recommend Michael, and if our association needs another mediator, we’ll be going straight to him.”