Kevin Smyth

Client Feedback:

“…sensible, thoughtful and finally managed to broker an agreement when initially the parties were poles apart… He is uniquely qualified to be a mediator. He is dedicated, organised, experienced and proficient.”

Overview

Kevin Smyth is a retired solicitor having formerly been a Director, Senior Partner and Head of Litigation of his firm. Since 1st May 2016, he has been a full-time mediator with over 20 years’ experience. He has conducted over 150 mediations in cases relating to wide variety of disputes and industries, more than 80% of which have resulted in a settlement being reached on or soon after the mediation day. Kevin was first appointed to the Court of Appeal’s Panel of Mediators in October 2003 and he continues to be a member of it. In April 2021 he was made a fellow of the Civil Mediation Council.

Both as a mediator and/or legal representative in mediations, Kevin has been involved in cases concerning clinical and other professional negligence, shareholder and partnership disputes. Franchising, life and other insurance indemnities, race discrimination, employment (including workplace mediations for which he is CEDR trained and accredited to conduct), disputed wills and other contentious probate disputes including Inheritance (Provision for Family & Dependants) Act claims, Court of Protection, financial provision following separation/divorce and many different types of commercial and personal disputes.

Professional Background

Throughout his post admission career as a Solicitor, Kevin practised solely as a civil litigation lawyer. For much of that time, he did so in the professional and clinical negligence/personal injury arenas. In the case of the latter, he successfully prosecuted three clinical negligence claims that resulted in awards of damages exceeding £4 million. Kevin is also a highly experienced practitioner of independent chairing in the public and private sectors. He has chaired numerous appeal hearings of the Legal Aid Agency’s National Special Review Controls Panel as well as its Funding Review Committees. He has also chaired meetings related to employment and workplace issues and was the Chairman of the Board of Governors of a well-known large independent secondary school for six years.

Expertise