Brick Court Chambers announces links with respected international mediators

20/05/13

Scotland's leading mediator, John Sturrock QC, and Geoff Sharp of New Zealand, one of Australasia's leading neutrals, are both announced as door tenants of leading London set Brick Court Chambers. The link-up creates a powerful alliance to tackle an increasingly global mediation market.

Brick Court Chambers has a well-established mediation practice built around the work of Tony Willis (formerly managing partner of Clifford Chance), Stephen Ruttle QC and William Wood QC. Another recent recruit was Nicholas Chambers QC returning to practice as a mediator and arbitrator after retiring as Mercantile Judge for Wales.

The founder and chief executive of Core Solutions Group, John Sturrock will continue to lead Core from Edinburgh. Geoff Sharp will continue as a member of Clifton Chambers in Wellington.

"John has an increasingly broad practice mediating, training and coaching that takes him around the world and into the frontier areas of government and national politics and international issues such as climate change. Geoff has a huge international reputation and works in Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong. I expect that our mediators will continue to work in as many jurisdictions as our advocates do", commented Jonathan Hirst QC, Brick Court's joint head of Chambers.

Tony Willis, one of Brick Court's leading mediators said:"We could not be more delighted. These are two thoughtful and very experienced professional mediators with wide experience and geographical reach. We are good friends and have long admired their energy and success. The alliance demonstrates the global reach and breadth of experience which Chambers is increasingly able to deploy."

Deborah Anderson, clerk in charge of mediation services at Brick Court Chambers, said that Brick Court's mediators were already active across the US, Africa, the Gulf and the Far East. "Language is really the only limitation on their range of work and often overseas parties will even work around that to get a truly independent mediator of real experience and reputation".

John Sturrock said: "I am genuinely delighted and feel privileged to be associated with such prestigious chambers. To be associated with Bill, Stephen and Tony, for whom I have the highest regard, is an exciting prospect. There is such potential still to be fulfilled in this field. I hope that this link-up will help to achieve some of that."

Geoff Sharp commented: "I am delighted to be involved with Europe's busiest and brightest mediators and this association underscores the attraction mediation has as a process for resolving international commercial disputes quickly and without regard to concerns parties often have around the other's home jurisdiction."

In addition to their existing roles, John and Geoff will now be able to accept work through the clerks at Brick Court who are used to receiving inquiries from all around the world.