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Shareholder disputes are often about more than just (or not even) money and can be particularly entrenched in multi- and next-generation family businesses.  Stuart’s mediation style, coupled with his background in accountancy as well as law, makes him particularly well-suited to these disputes.  He has mediated more than 180 shareholder disputes across industry sectors (as diverse as zoos, photography, sports agencies, music, finance, technology, gaming, biotech, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, construction, property, legal and other professional businesses, shipping, energy trading, and specialist science and engineering businesses), domestic and international and multi-jurisdictional, large and small, involving two or many shareholders.  Often resolution requires the buy-out of one or more shareholdings but sometimes can involve the parties agreeing to work together with improved corporate governance and board dynamics.

Corporate disputes other than shareholder disputes that Stuart has mediated include warranty claims, fraudulent and other misrepresentation claims, international claims, claims against promoters, derivative actions, claims under anti-embarrassment provisions, deferred consideration and completion account disputes, claims for dividends and claims by liquidators for the recovery of dividends including in specie dividends on demerger, and claims by corporate finance advisers for commissions

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I thought he was good. I mean the mediation settled. It was a difficult mediation in terms of the characters. It's quite difficult for clients to work with mediators, because it always involves compromise from the clients. I thought he was very good at arguing the points with the clients. He empathised very well with the client, but at the same time he was good at chivvying them along and introducing the commercial aspect. He didn't flap, he seemed to be in control the whole time, and it's always good to feel you've got somebody that's calm and that it's in a safe pair of hands.