THE
LAW CORNER
LAW CORNER
WHAT DOES THE LAW CORNER PROVIDE?
The Law Corner can provide pro-bono mediation for low value and non-monetary value disputes, for example:
If you believe that you have a suitable dispute such as similar to these examples and that the Law Corner can help you to amicably resolve, please click the link to complete an application form and we will be in touch with you as soon as possible to discuss if we can help to mediate your dispute.
WHAT IS MEDIATION?
When you have a current or ongoing/on-off conflict, what comes to your mind in an ideal scenario? – Yes, you want to tell someone about it, and you want that person to hear you and understand you. Ideally what you want next is that the other person involved in the conflict gets to see the conflict from your viewpoint and the conflict gets resolved altogether. You would probably prefer for the solution to be amicable, so that you and the other person can be happy with the solution (Win-Win) and continue to be on good terms with each other.
This is where mediation comes in – it is a guided, voluntary process in which the two parties to the conflict can express their views, are heard by the mediator who then caters to their realities and translates them for the other party so that ultimately both parties can hear and understand each other. When this has been achieved, the mediator supports both parties to find their most suitable solution together. This process ends with an agreement that both parties reach voluntarily.
The mediator is an independent, impartial facilitator bound by confidentiality – this means what you say during mediation cannot leave the room. The mediator makes sure that there are no conflicts of interest. At every stage, you are in charge of your conflict – you are free to leave, and you drive the solution.
‘Litigation’ is the process of resolving disputes by taking legal action through court with a judge and ‘arbitration’ is a similar journey through court but is privately funded. Mediation on the other hand is when a neutral person facilitates a conversation between the parties to help guide them towards a decision that is agreeable to both parties. As a result, mediation often benefits from both parties being able to maintain an ongoing positive relationship as a result of the less adversarial and more collaborative approach to dispute resolution.
OUR MEDIATION TEAM
Laura Vialon leads our mediation practice and is a qualified German lawyer, fluent in English, French and German. She is a certified mediator who did her training between 2017-2018 in Germany at the INeKO institute at the University of Cologne under the supervision of a qualified psychologist.
Her mediation approach is based on the fundamental conviction that everyone has the resources within themselves to solve their own conflicts, every behaviour is at least meant to be helpful and has to be addressed in a respectful way. Her mediation style is influenced by knowledge in emotions and communication, for example non-violent communication (M. Rosenberg).
Q: Is there an interview process?
A: If you have been successful, we will invite you to a short interview with the coordinating team after the application deadline. This will most likely take place on Zoom.
Q: Am I able to complete the 50-hour pro bono requirement for the New York bar exam with the Law Corner?
A: Unfortunately, the nature of our work experience and internship programmes mean that we are not able to guarantee that you would meet the 50 hours required for qualification. Therefore, this type of pro bono experience is not something that we can currently offer.
Q: Do you consider applications on a rolling basis?
A: No. We will review all the applications once the deadline has passed.
Q: How long will it take to hear back on whether my application has been successful or not?
A: We will aim to let you know whether or not you have been successful with your application within a week after the deadline has passed. However, this may take longer depending on the team’s availability and the number of applications we receive.
Q: Who can I contact if I have any questions about the application process or the programmes?
A: Please email our junior coordinator, Cesca Meikle, at cesca@somerstownlegaladvicecorner.org.uk, and she would be more than happy to answer any of your queries.