Andrew Sims
Profile

CASES

Mediating disputes and conflict across the following areas:

• Family - including inheritance, elder and sibling mediation and separating and divorcing couples.
• Civil - including commercial, workplace, special educational needs and disability (SEND), planning & schools and colleges mediation.
• Community - including intergenerational, homelessness prevention and peer mediation.

CONSULTING

Mentoring and supervising practitioners (both trainees and experienced mediators); advising mediation practices.

TRAINING

Mediation foundation and specialism training (through LBA Excellence); group supervision; seminars and workshops on mediation related topics.

RESEARCH

'Inheritance Disputes and their Resolution', with Dr Maria Federica Moscati.

This research project has received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Committee at the University of Sussex. The purpose of the study is to understand the sources of inheritance disputes and how they are resolved, and whether mediators consider them as family or commercial disputes, and how they decide which style and models to adopt for their resolution.

WRITING

See links below to recently published articles.

A specialist mediator in full time practice since 2010, Andrew comes from a business background and has a degree in social psychology.

He is experienced in facilitating emotionally charged negotiations. He brings to bear his clear understanding of the dynamics of conflict and his invaluable experience gained across many different fields of mediation.

Andrew specialises in mediating interpersonal conflict and disputes in families. These could be between siblings, or parents and adult children. They often arise in inheritance related conflicts and family business disputes.

Sibling dispute (2022): ‘You’ve provided a great service and been such a help to us. With heartfelt thanks.’

SEND dispute (2022): ‘Amazing. Helped me understand the process we were going through. Had patience with me and everyone involved. I don’t know what I would have done without his help. I recommend him in case you need mediation.’

Family inheritance dispute (2021): ‘We thought you handled the case superbly from start to finish. The result speaks for itself. We are most grateful.'

Workplace dispute: 'I just wanted to reiterate how grateful I am for the professional but caring approach you have had to this difficult process. I am very grateful to have had you recommended to me.'

Andrew has been described as a constructive and pragmatic mediator.

His style can best be described as engaging and approachable, yet tenacious.

He is highly skilled in creating the right atmosphere for openness and creative thinking.

Andrew's fundamental belief is that if most people are given the opportunity to work together, think creatively and problem solve in a safe and structured setting, then with the help of a skilled mediator, most things can be sorted out.

• Accredited Family Mediator (FMCA)
• Registered Civil and Commercial Mediator
• Accredited Special Educational Needs Mediator
• Professional Practice Consultant (PPC)
• Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council
• Member of the Professional Standards Committee of the College of Mediators

Present

• Founder, Sims Mediation, a practice specialising in high conflict, complex, multi-party disputes.
• Consultant, Wells Family Mediation, a child-focussed family mediation practice, based in Kent.
• Accredited SEND Mediator, Prime Resolution, a national SEND mediation service provider.
• Trainer, LBA Excellence, Mediation Foundation & Family Specialism courses.

2010– 2019

• Service Manager, South East London Family Mediation Bureau, (2016-2019)
• Mediation Development Consultant, Herts Young Homeless, (2015-2016)
• Co-founder, Mediating Futures, privately-funded family mediation, (2014-2016)

Voluntary roles

• Trustee & volunteer, Southwark Mediation Centre (2011-2019).
• Volunteer family and intergenerational mediator, Wandsworth Mediation Service (2012-2016)
• Mediation Coach, TalkingWorks, a charity which teaches mediation skills to school children

Other

• Invited to talk to the All Party Parliamentary Group on Alternative Dispute Resolution (APPGADR) about the benefits of Peer Mediation (2014)
• Appointed an Independent Mediator to the Government (DCLG) Planning Mediation Services Panel (2012).
• Assessor to the Peer Mediation programme at Bacon's College, London

• 2010 – Commercial mediation training, Dr Mike Talbot, UK Mediation (nationally accredited by the Law Society, The Bar Council and the Civil Mediation Council).
• 2010 – Community mediation training, Dave Walker (MBE), Southwark Mediation Centre.
• 2011 – Workplace mediation training, UK Mediation, as above.
• 2012 – Family mediation training Tony Whatling, Lorraine Bramwell and Lesley Allport, (recognized by the Family Mediation Council and the European Family Mediation Forum.)
• 2019 – Professional Practice Consultant (PPC) training delivered by Jackie Norton, National Family Mediation.
• 2020 – Restorative Justice training, Janet Clark, Restorative Approaches.
• 2021 – Special Educational Needs and Disability mediation training, Hugo Besterman, Prime Resolution (accredited by the College of Mediators and the Civil Mediation Council).
• 2022 – Trauma Informed Survivor Support training, through The National Association for People Abused in Childhood. (The course is designed to equip professionals with knowledge about the impact of child abuse in adulthood, and fundamental skills to engage with abuse survivors in a way that is empowering and guards against re-traumatisation).

• Indicative rates for mediation are £150 per hour, per person
• Andrew is based in London. He is comfortable working on screen via online video conference platforms, or mediating in person around the table.

• ‘Mediating Family Inheritance Disputes’, in Mediation Theory and Practice Journal, 2023.

• ‘What can different fields of mediation learn from one another and how might this inform current practice’, in Mediation Theory and Practice Journal, Edited by Professor Pablo Cortes and Professor Maria Moscati, published by Equinox, 2021.

• Exploring the scope of family mediation in England & Wales’ in ‘Family Mediation: Contemporary Issues’, Edited by Marian Roberts & Maria Federica Moscati, published by Bloomsbury Professional, 2020.

• Andrew enjoys family life, squash, theatre, 5-a-side football, sailing and reading.
• Fundraising: Andrew has cycled from London to Paris for The Royal British Legion; rowed from Richmond to Greenwich in the Great London River Race for the AHOY Centre; and walked the 80 mile Great Glen Way in Scotland (in 48 hours) for Herts Young Homeless.