How to make co-mediation to a success. About managing expectations, securing confidentiality and clarifying the role of the mediator and co-mediator to everybody involved. Many very good examples of co-mediation can be found in neighbourhood mediation, cross border mediation in child obduction cases, mediation in local government and in a normal, general mediation office.
Reasons to choose for co-mediation are:

• four eyes see more than two;

• you can give each other feedback;

• a starting mediator can gain experience without any risk for the client;

• when emotions get high, parties can be split up.

• lower revenues for the mediator;

• problems with planning.

ADR in Kenya is traceable to the pre-colonial era. Before colonial rule, African communities applied traditional justice systems in the resolution of disputes. Some of these traditional justice systems are what are formally called ADR. It is through the imposition of formal justice systems by the British that certain ADR mechanisms were recognised in Kenya. In recent times, ADR is one of the commonly used avenues in accessing justice in Kenya. ADR in Kenya is growing at an unprecedented rate courtesy of its recognition in law, inaccessibility of courts and tribunals, backlog of cases and increased commercial activities requiring the use of ADR processes. Consequently, there are efforts by government and the private sector aimed at promoting ADR in Kenya. These efforts suggest that the future of ADR in Kenya is promising. In this article, the authors discuss the growth, development and practice of ADR in Kenya highlighting some of the likely challenges and opportunities in its use.

Colombia has been a territory with some social and political difficulties which have affected several dynamics of the community as well as the legal security in almost all levels of the Colombian society. The alternative dispute resolution mechanisms arise as a response for all the gaps that such circumstances produce in the country and as useful tools to solve numerous disputes in different fields. The Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá, through its Arbitration and Conciliation Center founded in 1983, is making a permanent bet to support the Colombian citizens’ coexistence in the schools, in the neighbourhoods, in the companies that provide jobs as well as benefits to the city and to the whole country. Clever strategies have been developed through the years with three purposes: change the culture about the alternative dispute resolution methods, provide confidence in using them and change the way the people manage their conflicts.

Managing commercial conflicts requires reflexivity: the description of the conflict influences the manner in which the conflict is handled, and changing this description may influence this approach and the desirable outcome. The Belgian law firm contrast was curious to find out more of different parameters influencing the manner in which a conflict is handled. It developed an in-dept questionnaire and submitted it to 40 participants. The findings of this research are commented.

In recent years in The Netherlands around 120 mayors were trained as mediator. Focus of this multi method research was to collect the view of those mayors on – the future of - mediation as a tool in local public administration. More specific in conflicts with citizens, industry and other shareholders. Response rates on online survey was below standards but yield some descriptive aspects of this mayor group. Focus groups were informative. Mediation in local public administration is an accepted and successful phenomenon fact and will be further incorporated. Those mayors were pioneers and innovators but want to pass this method to organizational levels. One plead for incorporating principles and practice of mediation in all administrative processes and protocols.

In the Commercial Court of Ghent a 5th chamber has been created in each division, with the view to proposing an alternative dispute resolution method, such as a conciliation in front of and with the assistance of the judge or a referral to an external meditation.
The author points out that files can be directed to this chamber not only at the time of introduction of the court case but also at the time the procedural calendar is set after the respondent has filed the first written submission. Even after the pleadings and after an interlocutory judgment has been rendered, the 5th chamber of the Commercial Court can still refer the matter to an external mediation.
All cases in the field of construction, internal companies disputes and commercial agency can also be automatically referred to this chamber.
The author believes that is it not the task of a judge to act as a mediator because judges are trained to decide themselves about disputes and because they do not have enough time for a mediation. However, the creation of the 5th chamber could give a boost to external mediation knowing that 75% of the attempted mediations end successfully with a settlement.