Professor Derek Auchie

With a career spanning 25 years as a practising lawyer, academic on the law and practice of dispute resolution, mediator, arbitrator and tribunal judge, Professor Auchie is now growing his mediation practice, building on his expertise of workplace and commercial conflicts.

He said: “I am delighted to be joining Squaring Circles as a mediator. Having recently started my own dispute resolution enterprise, teaming up with an experienced and dynamic mediation provider is a positive and exciting next step.

“Workplace conflicts are likely to increase across all sectors in the coming years. Covid is undoubtedly driving some of that growth as people return to work on site.

“However, there is also an increasing awareness within organisations that early engagement with differences and disputes through the use of mediation, as opposed to formal disciplinary and grievance procedures, is far more effective at resolving conflict, restoring relationships and improving team morale.

“For commercial disputes, courts may be unable to provide the speed, value for money and peace of mind that comes with an agreed solution.”

“Mediator and founder of Squaring Circles, Rachael Bicknell said: “I am delighted that Derek is joining Squaring Circles as a mediator. His experience over the last 25 years, which has exposed him to people and conflict in many walks of life, brings something very unique to his mediation practice.

“As mediation continues to gain traction in Scotland, the Scottish market needs more experienced mediators. The mediators at Squaring Circles share a passion for mediation and work well together. So, in addition to our respective mediation practices we plan to roll out a co-mediation model for complex, high value or multiparty commercial and workplace disputes.”