Paul Johnson

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SUMMARY

Paul is one of the leading mediators in the UK.  He qualified as a mediator in 2000.  In 2006 he left partnership as a solicitor to focus solely on mediation. He has mediated over 350 disputes.   

CONTACT DETAILS

Kings Chambers

36 Young Street

Manchester

M3 3FT

Clerks

Colin Griffin - 0161 819 8257 / cgriffin@kingschambers.com

Gary Young - 0161 819 8801/ gyoung@kingschambers.com    

Direct: Mobile 07879 891000 /pjohnson@kingschambers.com

Chambers: 0161 832 9082   

CHAMBERS & PARTNERS / LEGAL 500 DIRECTORIES

Paul is mentioned as a Leading Individual in the Mediator section of successive editions of Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500:

• "An "incredibly patient"mediator [who] "puts people at ease very quickly and is not afraid totackle the big issues from the start". Sources further commend the "broad commercial ability" hebrings to a wide range of disputes, from banking to intellectual property tocompetition and fraud."
  "Clients love his relaxed andcalm demeanour, noting that he quietly and methodically pulls apart and testseach party's case.  He always approachesmediation with a clear structure in mind and is never rattled."
• "a nice relaxed, affable style that puts people at ease and a strong reputation in the mediation circuit"
• "worth his weight in gold"
• "one of the rising stars in the mediation world

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Bank

• Numerous claims for enforcement of security/ guarantees
• The loss of a private deposit box
• A 13 year long dispute between an offshore bank and two customers.
• Claims against banks for breach of contract / misrepresentation
  

Intellectual Property

• Internet content and development ownership
• Worldwide rebranding project
• Theft of copyright and IP by former employees

Commercial/ Contractual

• Numerous such claims
• Warranty claims
• Procurement claims
• Franchise disputes
• Logistics management

Offshore

• Breach of trust/ fraud claims brought in numerous jurisdictions
  Regularly instructed  in the IOM
  

Competition

• Dispute between a motor manufacturer and car dealers  
• Dispute between a HGV manufacturer and a dealer

Construction & Engineering

• Numerous such claims
• Party wall issues arising on a commercial development
• The mismanagement of a steam boiler plant
• The construction of a mosque
• The claim for damage caused to a building because of the mismanagement by a utility company  

Partnership

• Accountants
• Doctors
• Quantity Surveyors
• Solicitors
• Barristers dissolution

Personal Injury

• Disability discrimination
• A civil rape action

Costs

• The settlement of two multi-million costs claims in two group litigation disputes
  
• The claim for costs in excess of £7m following a substantial and protracted dispute

 Professional Negligence   

• Numerous such claims
  
• Accountants
• Architects
• Barristers
• Financial Advisors
• Insolvency Practitioners
• Insurance Brokers
• M & E Engineers
• Solicitors
• Surveyors (including SAAMCO claims)
  
• Tax advisers

Divorce

• Multi-million value ancilliary relief disputes - range from £3m to in excess of £12m
  
• Co-habitee disputes

Property

• Commercial property
• Development projects
• Dilapidations
• Residential property
• Boundary / easement disputes

Employment

• Dismissal of a senior employee of a local authority   
• Dismissal of senior employee from company for breach of fiducuary duty
• Claim by an Italian company against former employees for breach of covenants and share sale agreements

Sport

• Dispute between a leading coach in a particular sport, the club and the national associations
• Dispute between a county cricket club and a commercial supplierDispute between a county cricket club and its former chairman
  
• Dispute between a sports clothing manufacturer and a well know football club

Fraud

• Claims brought against a former FD for the theft of monies
• Misuse of company funds by director
• Claims brought by an insurer against various conspirators in a false claims ring   
• Coin fraud committed against a bank
• Fraud committed against a local authority

Shareholders

• Numerous shareholder disputes

Inheritance & Probate

• Numerous 1975 Act claimsFraud/ undue influence
• Capacity
• Interpretation of wills/ trusts
• Charities   

Regulatory

• Numerous cases involving government agencies and local authorities

Insolvency

• Wrongful trading
• Fraudulent trading
• Voidable transactions

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS AND BACKGROUND

Prior to becoming a full time mediator, Paul was one of the senior commercial litigation partners and the former head of corporate recovery and insolvency at Pannone LLP.  He was mentioned in successive editions of Chambers & Partners and the Legal 500 as a leading lawyer in two areas: commercial litigation and insolvency and corporate recovery.  The entries described him as: the 'standout lawyer' in the commercial litigation department of Pannone LLP; a good communicator; tenacious; always well prepared; good team player; a graceful all rounder respected for his acute commercial sense; calm and balanced; easy to comprehend manner; ensures his clients have the necessary information; streetwise and sensible." 

In 2006 he transferred to the Bar and joined Kings Chambers. 

PANEL MEMBERSHIPS

Consensus Mediation   

CEDR Solve

Sport Dispute Resolution Mediator Panel (SDRP)

Serle Court Chambers

Bar Council ADR Committee

TESTIMONIALS

The following comprise some examples of feedback received from parties and their lawyers:

• "Paul has a wonderful understated manner which is a perfect trait for a mediator and one which he uses to optimum effect.  He was able to bring two diametrically opposed litigants and their legal teams to agreement within less hours than the number of years the dispute had been running.  I would not hesitate to put his name forward at any time in the future when a mediation is in prospect."
  
• "He was sensational.  Paul was the most accomplished mediator I've ever some across and I've done lots. He was very enthusiastic. I was impressed by his knowledge and speed.  He got right to the nub of the problem within 25 minutes ... He was charming, very good with the clients and very professional with the professionals."
• "Paul was brilliant!  He was very personable.  Very professional.  A great combination between sympathetic and pragmatic.  He managed to tell the client some rough truths that I believe he needed to hear from him and not from us, which worked out perfectly.  I would definitely use him again.  Absolutely!"
• "I frequently recommend Paul as a mediator to my clients.  He is unfailingly charming and persuasive: even in challenging and seemingly intractable disputes."
• "I thought you carried out your mediating role excellently and I will have no hesitation in recommending you to my colleagues.  Indeed, I have forwarded your details to our counsel who was similarly impressed." 
• "Once again, thank you very much for helping us achieve a decent compromise solution yesterday ... I find your approach as a mediator compares very favourably with many others I've encountered in my career.  You prepare well, for certain, but your preparation is enhanced greatly by your personal,r ather informal approach, which puts parties at ease and helps them to see the world through the other side's eyes. This facilitative approach worked wonderfully yesterday.  Settlement would have been far less likely within the time span we had, if you had not been the mediator."
• "It was clear early on that Paul is a highly skilled mediator.  He dealt admirably with the challenges that arose in the mediation and guided the parties to a deal.  His style was very positive and encouraged open constructive dialogue.  He was excellent.  I will be using him again."
• "Please pass on our thanks to Paul. whose professionalism, calmness and expertise engineered a settlement that looked impossible before and for most of the day"
• "Just a short note to thank you for the tremendous effort. commitment and enthusiasm that you applied together with considerable experience and negotiating skills in achieving a successful outcome of what on any analysis was a very bitter and acrimonious dispute ...Both my client & I were delighted with your efforts during the day and in particular your incisive approach to getting a deal ..."
• "We thought there was no chance of the dispute being settled at the mediation. The fact that it did settle, is possibly the best compliment we can make about how you mediated the dispute ... we were very impressed."
• "Thank you Paul for yesterday.  I was genuinely impressed with the manner in which the mediation was conducted and would certainly not hesitate in utilising your services again in the future.  I shall spread the word amongst my colleagues."
• "I thought you handled the mediation very well; your style is gentle and I like the jovial way in which you handled things.  The limited use of joint sessions was a good idea bearing in mind [the other party's] personality and understandable sense of outrage.  You also gave a good impression that you had a perfect understanding of the law/issues, but did not allow that to interfere with the process.  Your lilting Welsh tones are an asset!  Overall ... my mark would be 10/10."
• [Party 1]  "I liked his laid back approach.  It was very successful.  He was good at diffusing confrontational situations ... and Paul managed to harness this negative energy to get a settlement.  Yes, if there were enough at stake I would consider using him again."; [Party 2] "I liked his general style.  I thought he was very good.  He was very calming.  I liked the way he got to know everybody and got everyone talking without them realising they were actually talking!  Counsel & I were pessimistic before the day, we thought there was no hope of actually sorting the matter out.  Paul slowly built up the momentum.  I would certainly consider using him again."; [Party 3] "Took a proactive role in facilitating settlement.  Manner generally very courteous, but tough when needed to be."
• "We were very impressed withPaul's skills as a mediator.  It was his tenacity that kept the parties negotiating towards settlement.  The parties had been in dispute for many years and it was his determination that kept everyone at the negotiation table.  We believe that without his tenacity the dispute would have continued at considerable cost to both parties.  Paul's affable manner belies his steely determination and intelligence. I would highly recommend Paul as mediator in even the most difficult disputes."
•  "I was fortunate enough to be persuaded to enter into a Mediation Process by my legal team in an attempt to achieve a solution between ... parties who had declared war against each other.  I was rather cynical as to the benefit of such practices having been involved in similar exercises outside of the litigation arena.  The mediation process I was involved in took 10 hours and consisted of two entrenched parties with no flexibility.  As the day commenced a pre brief was held by the Mediator with both parties individually when the "rules" and more importantly the "conduct" for the participants was clearly spelt out by the Mediator and with an excellent delivery of what his function was.  Mr Johnson obviously has a wealth of experience and knowledge and as a practitioner in this field he excelled. Continual reminding to my counsel and myself as to what our objectives were and often creating an environment that enabled us to challenge our beliefs, a process that I am certain Mr Johnson would have also replicated on the other party and their legal team. The mediation I was involved in was very successful and from the start of the day where both parties acted like new Tom Cats on the block snarling at each other at the opening joint meeting, to the completion of the day where both parties left simultaneously and shook hands in a very sincere manner.  I would hope that I would never have to enter into such an event again, but if I did, I would not hesitate to use the same Mediation Practitioner.  To summarise 'Not a life changing event, but one of life's rewarding experiences.'" 

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

Paul and his wife Samantha live in Chester and spend as much time as possible in beautiful West Wales.  His interests are varied.  They range from surviving on a snowboard, music, photography, learning to play the guitar and above all coping with the pleasure and pain of supporting the Wales rugby union team.