Resolve Business Disputes Without Going to Court with Alternative Dispute Resolution

When a dispute arises, court is rarely the only option. Our ADR solicitors at MAR Legal advise businesses, directors and individuals on the full range of alternative dispute resolution methods, helping you find the fastest and most cost-effective route to a resolution.

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What a dispute left unresolved actually costs

Every day a commercial dispute remains unresolved, it costs money, management time and business relationships. Litigation is the default for many businesses, but it is rarely the best option. ADR (alternative dispute resolution) covers a range of processes designed to resolve disputes faster, more cheaply and more privately than court proceedings. From mediation and arbitration to early neutral evaluation and expert determination, our ADR solicitors in Manchester advise on which process fits your dispute and represent your interests throughout. Most disputes that reach court could have been resolved earlier with the right approach.

How Our ADR Solicitors Help Businesses and Individuals

Our solicitors advise on every stage of alternative dispute resolution, from choosing the right process to reaching and documenting a binding outcome.

Commercial Dispute Mediation

When two businesses need to resolve a contract dispute, service failure or payment disagreement, mediation offers a structured and confidential route to settlement. Our ADR solicitors prepare your position and attend the session alongside you.

Arbitration Advice and Support

Where a contract includes an arbitration clause or the parties agree to arbitrate, our solicitors advise on the process, prepare submissions and represent your interests through to the arbitrator’s award.

Early Neutral Evaluation

An independent evaluator gives a non-binding opinion on the merits of the dispute, which often breaks a deadlock and creates the conditions for settlement. Our solicitors advise on when ENE is the right choice and manage the process.

Expert Determination

For technical or valuation disputes, expert determination provides a binding decision from a specialist. Our solicitors advise on the process, help select the right expert and review the terms of the determination agreement.

Pre-Action Protocol Advice

Before issuing court proceedings, parties are required to follow pre-action protocols. Our solicitors advise on compliance, draft the necessary correspondence and use the pre-action stage to explore settlement before proceedings begin.

Dispute Resolution Clause Drafting

Building the right dispute resolution provisions into contracts at the outset prevents costly disagreements later. Our solicitors draft mediation, arbitration and escalation clauses tailored to the commercial relationship and risk profile.

What This Means for You

  • Disputes resolved faster and at lower cost than litigation
  • Confidential process with no public court record
  • You retain control over the outcome and the process
  • Commercial relationships preserved wherever possible
  • Clear advice on the right ADR route before you commit

When to seek advice

  • A commercial dispute is escalating, and negotiation has broken down
  • You have received a pre-action letter and need to respond
  • A contract includes an ADR clause you need to understand or activate
  • You want to explore options before committing to litigation
  • A counterparty has proposed mediation or arbitration, and you need to assess whether to agree

Meet the Founder

Marium brings 22 years of experience advising businesses and individuals on corporate, commercial and ILA law matters across the UK and the Middle East.

A qualified Solicitor individually authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID: 277854), Marium is also a registered Part II Practitioner and mediator in the DIFC Courts, and an established member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.

Her experience spans complex legal matters for high-profile clients throughout her career, she has been awarded the fastest growing women-led business in the UK recognised by Fortune 500 and former Prime Minister David Cameron.

Marium Razzaq - Solicitors in Manchester
Marium Razzaq
Solicitor & Director Mar Legal
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Why Businesses Choose MAR Legal for ADR

Solicitor Led Advice

Every matter is handled by our ADR solicitors with direct experience across commercial disputes.

Fast Response

Disputes move quickly. We respond without delay and prepare your position at pace.

Fixed Fee Pricing

We agree costs in advance so you know what the advice will cost before any process begins.

Commercial Focus

We advise on the outcome that protects your business interests, not just the legal position.

Trusted by businesses and individuals across the UK for clear, solicitor led advice on alternative dispute resolution.

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How Our ADR Process Works

01

Initial Consultation

We review the dispute, the contract and the correspondence to advise on your legal position and the most appropriate ADR route for your situation.

02

Process Selection

We recommend the right ADR method, mediation, arbitration, ENE, expert determination or negotiation, based on the nature of the dispute, the relationship and the outcome you need.

03

Preparation and Representation

We prepare your position, draft the necessary documents and attend the ADR session or process alongside you, advising in real time throughout.

04

Settlement and Documentation

Once a resolution is reached, we draft or review the settlement agreement, consent order or arbitration award to ensure it is binding, enforceable and accurately reflects the outcome.

What Our Clients Say

You Might Also Consider

Once you have decided on the right approach, you may also want to consider commercial mediation for business disputes, workplace mediation for internal or employment-related conflicts, or arbitration where the parties want a binding decision rather than a facilitated settlement.

FAQs: Common Questions About Alternative Dispute Resolution

ADR stands for alternative dispute resolution. It is an umbrella term covering any method of resolving a dispute outside of court proceedings, including mediation, arbitration, early neutral evaluation, expert determination and negotiated settlement. ADR processes vary in formality, cost and whether the outcome is binding, the right choice depends on the nature of the dispute, the relationship between the parties and the outcome required.

It depends on the process. Arbitration produces a binding award that is enforceable in the same way as a court judgment. Mediation produces a settlement agreement that becomes binding when signed by both parties. Early neutral evaluation and expert determination can be structured as binding or non-binding depending on what the parties agree. The binding nature of the outcome should always be confirmed and documented before the process begins.

Courts increasingly expect parties to consider ADR before and during litigation, and an unreasonable refusal to engage can result in adverse costs orders even if you succeed at trial. Some contracts include mandatory ADR clauses that require mediation or arbitration before proceedings can be issued. Certain regulated sectors also have statutory ADR requirements. Outside these situations, ADR is voluntary, but the practical and commercial pressure to engage with it is significant.

ADR is almost always significantly cheaper than litigation. A commercial mediation typically costs a fraction of the legal fees generated by court proceedings to the same stage. Arbitration is more expensive than mediation but still substantially cheaper than High Court litigation for most disputes. The cost comparison also needs to account for management time, reputational risk and the delay involved in court proceedings, which can run to two to four years for complex matters.

In mediation, a neutral mediator helps the parties reach their own agreement, the mediator has no power to impose an outcome and either party can walk away. In arbitration, an arbitrator hears both sides and issues a binding award that neither party can simply ignore. Mediation is generally faster, cheaper and more flexible. Arbitration is more formal and produces a definitive outcome. The choice depends on whether the parties want to retain control over the result or need a binding decision imposed.

Yes. ADR can be used at any stage of a dispute, including after proceedings have been issued. Courts actively encourage parties to explore settlement through ADR even once litigation has begun, and will sometimes stay proceedings to allow it. A successful mediation after proceedings are issued will typically result in a consent order recording the terms of settlement, which has the same legal force as a court judgment. Legal costs already incurred do not prevent ADR from being a viable option.

If ADR does not result in a resolution, both parties retain all their legal rights and can proceed to litigation or arbitration as though the ADR had not taken place. Anything said during mediation is confidential and without prejudice, meaning it cannot be used as evidence in subsequent proceedings. A failed ADR process does not prejudice your legal position and often clarifies the issues in dispute, making any subsequent proceedings more focused and efficient.

MAR Legal provides advisory and documentation support in connection with alternative dispute resolution, including process selection, preparation and settlement drafting. Where a matter requires regulated legal representation in court or arbitration proceedings, we work alongside appropriately regulated professionals to ensure the right expertise is in place.