Open Mediation

About Kim Ashton
 

'Finding Common Ground'
Helping people resolve disputes constructively, confidentially and cost-effectively.
 

I am a lawyer, barrister (unreg), county court advocate and accredited mediator with specialist training and practical experience in dispute resolution, advocacy, negotiation and mediation.
 

I am accredited by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) as a Civil and Commercial Mediator and am an FMC-Approved Family Mediator. My background combines legal training, courtroom advocacy, commercial experience and mediation practice, enabling me to understand disputes from both legal and practical perspectives. Throughout my career, I have worked with individuals, families, professionals and businesses facing conflict, uncertainty and difficult decisions. Whether a dispute concerns property, business relationships, contracts, finances, family matters or personal disagreements, the issues often extend beyond the legal position. They can involve stress, frustration, communication breakdowns and concerns about the future.
 

My role as a mediator is to help people move beyond conflict, identify common ground, and work towards practical, realistic solutions.

Alongside my mediation practice, I regularly represent clients in the County Court in a broad range of civil disputes. This ongoing advocacy work provides valuable insight into the realities of litigation, including its costs, delays, risks and uncertainties. It has reinforced my belief that many disputes can be resolved more effectively through constructive dialogue than through contested proceedings.
 

Experience Beyond the Law

Before entering legal practice, I founded and managed an independent production company, leading commercial projects from development through to international distribution.This experience involved contract negotiation, stakeholder management, strategic decision-making and balancing competing interests. It taught me the importance of communication, collaboration and problem-solving when relationships come under pressure. As a result, I bring both legal expertise and real-world commercial experience to the mediation process.
 

My Approach

I believe effective mediation requires more than legal knowledge. It requires the ability to listen carefully, understand different perspectives, build trust, and create an environment in which productive conversations can take place.

People often arrive at mediation feeling anxious, frustrated or exhausted by an ongoing dispute. My aim is to ensure that each party feels heard, understood and able to participate fully in the process.
 

I do not decide who is right or wrong, nor do I impose outcomes. Instead, I facilitate constructive discussions, help parties explore options, and support them in reaching informed decisions on how their dispute may be resolved.
 

Open Mediation was established to provide a professional, accessible and cost-effective alternative to litigation. Most mediations are conducted online, enabling parties across England and Wales to participate conveniently from a location of their choice.
 

The disputes I mediate include:
 

• Property and housing disputes

• Landlord and tenant disputes

• Neighbour and boundary disputes

• Consumer and contractual disputes

• Small business and commercial disputes

• Debt and financial disputes

• Family and relationship-related disputes
   

Qualifications

Legal Education

• Call to the Bar of Endland & Wales, by The Honorable Society of Gray's Inn, London

• Postgraduate Diploma in Bar Practice / Bar Vocational Training

• Master of Laws LLM in International Arbitration & Mental Health Law 

• First - Class (Honours) Bachelor of Law LLB Degree 

• Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Fine Art Degree
   

Professional Qualifications

• Lawyer

• Barrister (Unregistered)

• County Court Advocate

• CIArb Accredited Civil & Commercial Mediator

• PDSL Civil & Commercial Accredited Mediator

• FMC Approved Family Mediator (working towards full accreditation)

• LADR Family Mediation Trained

• The College of Mediators Member

• Civil Mediation Council (CMC) Member
   

My Commitment

I am committed to:

• Independence and impartiality

• Confidentiality

• Professionalism and integrity

• Respectful communication

• Accessibility and fairness

• Practical problem-solving

• Client-focused dispute resolution
   

My goal is simple: to help people find common ground, regain control of their situation, and achieve practical, lasting resolutions that avoid the stress, expense and uncertainty of prolonged conflict.
 

Tel: 07703 830573

 

WhatsApp:@8WhiteDove 

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E: kim@openmediation.co.uk