Elizabeth J Bilton LLB (Hons)
Elizabeth J Bilton heads the team of Family Mediators at Midlands Mediation
She started out in her career by qualifying as a Solicitor in 1993. She has consolidated her legal practice by gaining experience in all aspects of traditional family disputes in addition to achieving qualifications as an Advanced Family Panel member and member of the Children’s Panel with the Law Society (for further information see her linked profile with www.biltonhammond.co.uk)
In 1997 Elizabeth trained as an All Issues Mediator with Resolution, which is the leading training organisation for solicitors in professional practice (www.resolution.org.uk)
Elizabeth set up Midlands Mediation in 1998. She has developed her Mediation experience and developed a team of professional and experienced Mediators who would be able to meet the diverse needs of families in conflict.
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Diane Roome BA (Hons)
Diane qualified as a Solicitor in 2001 having previously worked for the then Lord Chancellors Department. This included some 6 years at the Official Solicitors Office as a Case Worker in Children’s Litigation.
Di is a member of Resolution and sits on the Resolution Children’s Committee. She deals with both Public and Private Law children’s matters. She is also trained to offer direct consultation with children in Mediate, meeting directly with children whose parents are attending for Mediation, and feeding their views into Mediation sessions.
Di is a member of the Law Society’s Mediation panel. She deals with all types of family issues in Mediation. Apart from the Children’s work, she also deals with more complex financial cases in Mediation and to successfully Mediated on a number of disputes involving substantial assets.
Mark Bilton LLB (Hons) Sheff, MBA
Mark has over 25 years experience as a solicitor. He was admitted to the roll in 1985. Mark is our Managing Partner and a solicitor with considerable experience of advising clients on Commercial and Private law issues as well as being a qualified Mediator.
Mark has been a qualified commercial mediator since 2005 and qualified in 2010 as a family mediator.
Mark’s 25 years practice experience and MBA business qualification makes him a good choice for mediating many different types of issues including the following:
- Family property disagreements
- Building disputes
- Will disputes
- Contractual disputes
- Partnership and business disputes
- Employer/Employee disputes
- Company disputes
- Landlord and Tenant disputes ( commercial and domestic)
- Property and Boundary disputes
Mark is happy to talk to people considering mediation and to their legal advisers. We can mediate where lawyers are present and when they are not. Our most successful mediations are shuttle mediations and many disputes can be resolved in this way. Mark has recently said:
“too much money and time is needlessly spent on legal proceedings, many of which can be resolved at a fraction of the cost by mediation and avoiding the stress of the prospect of going to court”.
Jennie Byrne LLM
Solicitor, Specialist Family Lawyer / Child Lawyer, Matrimonial Department (Chesterfield), Family Solicitor Mediator through Resolution
Jennie joined our Matrimonial Department in 2008, and is primarily based at our Chesterfield office.
Jennie has been dealing with family cases since 2005. Jennie’s case work as a Solicitor covers the full spectrum of family cases, including domestic violence and abuse, financial disputes upon separation and disputes in respect of children following relationship breakdown. Jennie also advises and represents parents in Public Law matters involving Social Services. Jennie has provided advice to couples who are to marry as well as those wishing to separate. She is able to advise in respect of divorce proceedings as well as civil partnership dissolutions.
Jennie is able to provide advice in respect of all issues resulting from separation including change of name.
In 2010 Jennie completed her Masters in Child Law and therefore has some specialist knowledge in cases involving children.
Jennie is a member of Resolution First for Family Law and fully supports the ethos which this organisation promotes.
In 2010 Jennie trained with Resolution First for Family Law as a Solicitor/Mediator for family matters and as a result is able to provide an independent advice to facilitate discussions and decisions relating to family issues.
Clive Needham
Clive joined the team having completed mediation training in 2010.
His own experiences of the mediation process encouraged him to train towards becoming a Family Mediator, starting with graduation with a Law Degree in 2008 and latterly completing the foundation course in Mediation.
Clive is able to call upon his 25 years experience as a community based Police Officer, where dispute resolution was a key skill in resolving many issues.
Clive is fully commited to using his skills and experience to assist people to reach an amicable outcome to their dispute.
Chris Dawes LLB (Hons)
Chris qualified as a Solicitor in 1977 and has worked in general practice since then, specialising in family law since 1993.
A member of the Law Society Children Panel, Resolution (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association) and the Association of Lawyers for Children, Chris trained as a Family Mediator with the Law Society.
Chris represents children in care proceedings through their Children’s Guardian, as well as children directly when separate representation is necessary. Chris also acts for parents, grandparents and other family members in care proceedings. When required he represents adults through the Official Solicitor. Chris will represent individuals who have been invited to intervene in care proceedings. He regularly advises and assists in relation to Child Protection Conferences and Public Law Outline (PLO) meetings and other Social Care queries. Chris also represents parties in applications for orders for placement of children for adoption.
Chris represents both parents and children in disputes concerning residence, contact arrangements for children, adoption, prohibited steps and specific issues. Chris provides a sympathetic, common sense and professional approach in representing the best interests of his clients.
Clive is fully commited to using his skills and experience to assist people to reach an amicable outcome to their dispute.
Julie Stather, Barrister
Julie qualified as a barrister in 2000 and worked in barristers’ chambers until 2011.
She is a member of the Family Law Bar Association and Resolution and has extensive experience of all family law matters including divorce, finances between separating adults, contact and residence of children, financial support for children and local authority care of children.
Julie undertakes sole and co-mediation, and face to face and shuttle mediation, dealing with all financial matters and arrangements relating to children.
Having appeared in court almost daily since 2000, Julie is well aware of the strain of the court process, and is therefore committed to helping people resolve their difficulties in as amicable and conciliatory a way as possible, without recourse to the Courts wherever possible, taking into account emotional as well as financial, practical and legal issues.
