About Robin Somerville: Commercial Mediator

A Different Kind of Commercial Mediator

Most commercial mediators come from one of two backgrounds: law or human resources. I come from both, and from something else as well. Before qualifying as a barrister and mediator I spent fifteen years as a business owner and entrepreneur, setting up, growing and selling three technology businesses, serving as a director and equity stakeholder in a major price comparison website, and managing a family business through five commercial property transactions and ultimately into administration. I was also personally involved in a shareholder and commercial dispute of my own that settled at mediation.

That combination of lived commercial experience, formal legal training and practical dispute resolution practice makes me genuinely unusual as a mediator. I understand disputes from the inside: the financial pressure, the relationship damage, the way conflict distorts decision-making, and the commercial realities that shape what settlement actually looks like. I bring that understanding to every mediation I conduct.

If you need a commercial mediator for a shareholder dispute, business dispute, partnership conflict or family business matter, see my commercial mediator page. If you need mediation advocacy, meaning representation at a mediation conducted by another mediator, see my mediation advocacy page.

Qualifications and Accreditation

I am an accredited civil and commercial mediator, accredited by CEDR (the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) and the ADR Group. I am also an accredited workplace mediator through CEDR. I hold advanced mediation advocacy accreditation through the SCMA, and I have sat as a judge at the ICC International Mediation Competition in Paris since 2017 and at the CEDR National and International Negotiation Competitions.

I have a Masters in Law (LLM) in International and Comparative Dispute Resolution from Queen Mary, University of London. I am a Visiting Lecturer on the Bar Professional Training Course at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy. I was previously an Ombudsman at the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Mediation and Mediation Advocacy Experience

I have been a practising commercial mediator since 2009 and have conducted and been involved in mediations across a wide range of commercial dispute types. Disputes I have mediated include a three-party Section 994 Companies Act unfair prejudice and unlawful extractions dispute settled with a buyout, a two-party unfair prejudice and breach of investment agreement dispute settled with a buyout, a family business shareholder dispute following the death of parents settled with a buyout exceeding £1 million, a two-party family shareholder dispute including £5 million personal guarantees settled by demerger, a high-conflict husband and wife board and shareholder dispute shortly before a £100 million-plus business sale, technology contract disputes, commercial debt and agency commission disputes, and senior director and CEO employment disputes at major public institutions.

In my litigation practice I have been involved in over 1,000 cases over more than twenty years, including a £120 million partnership dispute between six brothers and their children, a £15 million Section 994 unfair prejudice claim, multiple breach of directors’ duties cases including a £3 million civil fraud claim, and many shareholder exit negotiations. This experience in contested proceedings directly informs my effectiveness as a mediator: I understand how cases are argued, how judges think, and what the realistic alternatives to settlement look like.

Commercial Background

Before qualifying as a lawyer and mediator I spent fifteen years in business. I set up, grew and sold three technology businesses including an online comparison business that generated over £50 million in sales enquiries for a national network of distributors. I was an equity holding non-executive director of one of the UK’s leading online property comparison websites. I managed the strategic development of a family business for six years. And earlier in my career I was an assistant dealer on the money market desk of Sumitomo Bank, personally responsible for managing $2 billion in daily US dollar deposits.

That background gives me a level of commercial understanding that pure legal training does not provide. When I sit with business owners in mediation, I understand their priorities, their constraints, the way commercial risk actually feels when it is your own money and business on the line, and the difference between what a lawyer might regard as the best legal outcome and what the business owner actually needs.

Personal Style as a Mediator

I am relentlessly focused on problem-solving and solution-finding. I create an environment at mediation where parties feel able to speak openly about what troubles them about their situation, and I work with them to identify how the dispute might be resolved. I reality-test where appropriate, help parties identify their real underlying interests rather than their stated positions, and assist in developing workable solutions that both sides can live with.

My approach draws on my experience as a judge and arbitrator as well as a mediator. I understand how decision-makers assess evidence and credibility, which means I can help parties think realistically about how a court would view their position if the dispute were to proceed to litigation. That reality-testing is often the most valuable thing a mediator can bring to a commercial dispute.

What Clients and Peers Say

“I highly recommend Robin Somerville. He is incredibly calm, helpful and patient, with excellent communication skills. He creates a safe and supportive environment, ensuring that both parties feel heard and respected. His proactive approach to finding solutions helps bring both parties together effectively.”

“A practising barrister and also a very able and amenable mediator. A rather rare combination.”

“This is a treasure trove of a guide filled with genuine insight, distilled experience and a deep knowledge of how mediation works in commercial disputes.” Phillip Howell-Richardson, Legal 500 Hall of Fame

“Every business owner, CEO, director and shareholder should read this guide and have it sitting on their desk at arm’s reach.” Jane Gunn, International commercial mediator

See all testimonials.

Published Resources

My book Winning in Commercial Mediation: A Business User’s Guide provides a comprehensive practical guide to every aspect of the commercial mediation process for business owners, directors, shareholders and their advisers.

See all books.

Get in Touch

If you need a commercial mediator or mediation advocate, I would be glad to discuss your requirements.

Call 020 4538 0246, use the contact form below, or book a call directly.

Important disclaimer: This page is provided for general information and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always seek independent legal advice from a qualified specialist before making decisions that affect your legal rights or commercial interests. The author accepts no responsibility for any decisions made or outcomes arising from use of this material. If you would like specific advice, contact me here.

Mediation – About Robin Somerville Expert Commercial Mediator