Expert
Commercial
Dispute Resolution
We help you quickly resolve disputes cost-effectively and fairly.
Why
Focus Mediation?
We understand that court proceedings are time consuming, stressful and expensive. Our process allows for calm and kindness in challenging situations.
Throughout the mediation process, we handle the relationships with lawyers and all of the parties, communicating in plain English, helping you to make more informed decisions.
Focus Mediation are experts in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). It is our job to work with you to get you a resolution speedily and in a cost effective way that is legally respected.
With over 20 years legal and mediation experience we work hard with parties in order to secure the best possible outcome.
Civil and Commercial
Mediation
We provide mediation and strategic intervention at all stages of your litigation. For example contract disputes, building disputes and debt.
Property
Extensive experience dealing with disputes for residential commercial and relationship property.
Family Dispute Resolution
We work in conjunction with you or your lawyers, tailoring a mediation between you and all other parties.
Employment and Negligence
We handle mediation for professional negligence as well as employment disputes for both employees and employers.
Our Vision
Focus Mediation was founded on the principles of seeking a more accessible, fair and faster route to resolution for disputes. Mediation is often the preferred route for resolution in many areas. Crucially, mediation offers the opportunity to formulate creative solutions that may be unobtainable through the courts.
After practicing litigation extensively in London, UK a move to New Zealand has also brought about a focus for helping as broad a range of clients as possible achieve results quickly with less stress, and saving them money.
Our structured, intensive mediation process is combined with significant legal experience. This allows us to work with both clients and lawyers effectively. Mediation can speed up legal processes with around 85% of mediations in New Zealand resulting in a settlement. Focus Mediation is proud to be achieving results comfortably above the national average.
Testimonials
We work with
About Us
Darren Rawlins
Connect with us
Darren spent over 20 years as a litigator in London, UK before moving to Auckland.
Darren's effectiveness as a mediator is supported by his litigation career in London, where he regularly acted for high net worth individuals resolving high value disputes, appeared in the High Court and conducted cases in the Court of Appeal, and in the Supreme Court.
Darren is an associate member of the Arbitrators and Mediators Institute of NZ (AMINZ). An experienced mediator and also a adjudicator and arbitrator, he provides consultancy for the NZDRC, the FDR Centre, and acts as an ACC reviewer and mediator for the Independent Complaint and Review Review Authority (ICRA). Darren is also experienced as a mediator in NZ relationship property, property, contracts, trusts and employment disputes.
Darren is an accredited Family Dispute Resolution mediator. He has experience working with Oranga Tamariki, the Family Court, and with parents with protection/parenting orders.
Darren participates actively in his community, collaborating with the Waiuku Family Support Centre and is the chair of RSST Trust for Michael Park School.
He has experience in the following areas;
Alternative dispute resolution - arbitration (commercial building disputes/contract), adjudication, and mediation.
Property - Landlord/Tenant - residential and commercial, possession, dilapidations, boundary disputes.
Residential/commercial property owners - against builder’s/insurers regarding new property guarantees/warranties/contract.
Chancery/Commercial - Trusts, relationship property, company, insolvency, freezing injunctions, committal applications.
Insurance / Union claims - Personal injury for claimants and defendants, medical negligence.
Judicial Review - Concerning the use of powers used by HM Revenue & Customs to detain and forfeit goods, the granting and execution of search warrants against companies and individuals.
You can instruct us directly to discuss your issues and provide us with contact details for the person that you seek to mediate with. We will then contact the other party and ask them if they would be willing to mediate with you. If both parties agree to mediate we can begin the mediation process.
Video/remote Worldwide.
Personal meetings in Auckland, New Zealand
* If you are represented by a lawyer they will usually approach us on your behalf.
** Once we are instructed to mediate we shall speak with both parties individually to ascertain the issues between you and understand how these issues arose. We will then prepare a tailor-made service for your mediation which will provide the best chance for you to reach a settlement in your dispute.
*** Mediation fees are usually split 50/50 between each party ( unless there is an agreement between you otherwise ) and we will provide to you details of our costs upon enquiry.
Contact
Focus Mediation
Mediation
Media
