VIRGINIE MELIN
CMC ACCREDITED MEDIATOR
Commercial & Civil
For PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, AND CORPORATES
LONDON & INTERNATIONAL
VIRGINIE MELIN
CMC ACCREDITED MEDIATOR
Commercial & Civil
For PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, AND CORPORATES
LONDON & INTERNATIONAL
ABOUT VIRGINIE
I hold a masters degree in Business Management and acquired extensive experience working through corporate disputes, business negotiations and private conflicts during 20 years of international corporate commercial, strategy and financial roles. This background allows me to understand both organisational realities and interpersonal dynamics.
I studied psychology as part of my academic training and developed a strong interest in humanities, creatives and the art world, where I facilitated complex relational, commercial and contractual situations.
This combined expertise enables me to approach mediation with both analytical structure and human sensitivity.
Today and everyday, I am passionate about helping people and companies find clarity, restore dialogue and reach meaningful agreements.
I regularly collaborate with lawyers to ensure that both legal and human dimensions of conflict are addressed.
My mediation practice is authentic, welcoming and professional, providing a safe, neutral and confidential space for resolution.
ABOUT MEDIATION
Mediation is a recognised and widely encouraged form of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) — a collective term for structured processes that help parties resolve disagreements without resorting to court proceedings.
In the EU, The European Code of Conduct for Mediators sets principles designed to promote quality, consistency, and trust in mediation. It sets out core standards of professional conduct, including independence, impartiality, neutrality, competence, confidentiality, and transparency of process. Avoiding conflicts of interest, ensuring that parties participate voluntarily and with informed consent, and conducting the process in a fair and respectful manner. It is ensuring the mediator’s duty to maintain professional skills and referenced by mediation organizations, courts, and practitioners throughout the European Union.
In the UK, mediation is supported at both governmental and professional levels as an efficient, confidential and constructive route for resolving civil, commercial and workplace disputes.
Alternative Dispute Resolution, including mediation, is formally described in UK Government guidance as a way of resolving disputes between consumers and businesses without going to court, and the Government actively encourages the development and use of ADR to improve access to justice.
Mediation itself is a voluntary, confidential and structured process, facilitated by a trained, neutral mediator who helps parties communicate, explore underlying interests and jointly create tailored solutions. Unlike litigation, mediation is not adversarial and does not impose outcomes — instead, the parties remain in control of the result.
While mediation in the UK does not have a single statutory regulator, there are well-recognised professional bodies that set standards and promote best practice. For example, the Civil Mediation Council (CMC) is widely recognised as the leading authority for civil, commercial and workplace mediation, with a robust accreditation scheme that assures quality, training and ethical standards for mediators.
Using an accredited mediator means you are choosing someone who has met clear professional criteria for competence, neutrality, confidentiality and continuing development.
Mediation agreements reached by the parties can be recorded in legally enforceable documents, such as settlement agreements or consent orders, offering certainty and protection similar tocourt outcomes where needed.
Across the UK legal landscape, courts now increasingly encourage or refer cases to mediation where appropriate — reflecting the judiciary’s recognition of mediation as a proportionate, efficient way to manage civil disputes alongside formal procedures.
By choosing mediation, you choose a process that is human-centred, endorsed by recognised ADR frameworks, and designed to protect your interests while minimising cost, time and emotional strain.
Personal and teams benefits
Mediation improves your relationships with others working with your communication skills, empathy, and conflict resolution strategies
Mediation releases stress and anxiety through addressing conflicts and resolutions. You achieve a more balanced, healthy and peaceful life.
Mediation fosters collaboration in teams contributing to performance and effective change management
OUTLOOK
Differs from Arbitration
Effectiveness & Success Rates
Effectiveness & Success Rates
Mediation vs Arbitration - What is the difference?
Mediation and arbitration are both forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution, but they function very differently.
In mediation, the mediator does not decide the outcome. The parties remain in full control of whether an agreement is reached and what it contains. The mediator’s role is to fac
Mediation vs Arbitration - What is the difference?
Mediation and arbitration are both forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution, but they function very differently.
In mediation, the mediator does not decide the outcome. The parties remain in full control of whether an agreement is reached and what it contains. The mediator’s role is to facilitate dialogue, clarify issues and support the parties in finding their own solution.
In arbitration, by contrast, the arbitrator acts more like a private judge. The arbitrator hears arguments and evidence from both sides and then imposes a binding decision (called an arbitral award), which the parties must accept.
Mediation is therefore collaborative, flexible and relationship-focused, while arbitration is adjudicative, more formal and closer to a court process. Mediation is often preferred when parties want to preserve relationships, maintain confidentiality and retain control over the outcome, whereas arbitration is used when parties want a private but binding determination of the dispute.
Effectiveness & Success Rates
Effectiveness & Success Rates
Effectiveness & Success Rates
Mediation's Effectiveness & Success Rates
Mediation consistently demonstrates very high effectiveness as a dispute resolution process. Large-scale audits of civil and commercial mediation in the UK and internationally show that approximately 87–92% of mediations result in a full or partial settlement, with around 70–73% resolving on th
Mediation's Effectiveness & Success Rates
Mediation consistently demonstrates very high effectiveness as a dispute resolution process. Large-scale audits of civil and commercial mediation in the UK and internationally show that approximately 87–92% of mediations result in a full or partial settlement, with around 70–73% resolving on the day of the mediation and many others settling shortly afterwards.
These outcomes have remained stable over recent years, across a wide range of dispute types — including commercial, contractual, professional and civil conflicts — and across both private and court-referred mediations.
This means that the vast majority of parties who engage seriously in mediation are able to avoid lengthy court proceedings and reach a workable agreement themselves.
The Goal
Effectiveness & Success Rates
The Goal
To contribute to a healthy, and efficient community
For businesses and individuals, this translates into:
• reduced legal costs,
• faster resolution,
• less disruption to operations or personal life, and
• a much higher chance of preserving relationships and reputation.
These are one of the main reasons why mediation is now actively encour
To contribute to a healthy, and efficient community
For businesses and individuals, this translates into:
• reduced legal costs,
• faster resolution,
• less disruption to operations or personal life, and
• a much higher chance of preserving relationships and reputation.
These are one of the main reasons why mediation is now actively encouraged by courts, lawyers and public authorities as a first-line method of resolving disputes.