I had a really positive experience with my MIAMs meeting this morning. The whole process was straightforward, reassuring and informative. Everything was explained clearly, and I felt comfortable askin... See more
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Review summary
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Reviews shaping this summary
Amazing experience with will Stewart today. Great advice with great knowledge. Such an easy process with this company from start to finish, when facing another hurdle in finalising divorce issues. M... See more
Fantastic company. I was able to book an appointment within a few days of contacting them. Had a mediation meeting with Jan Galloway. She was lovely and very knowledgeable. She listened to my concer... See more
The mediator lady that saw me was very professional and knowledgeable in the topic. She explained all the procedures in detail, telling me what to expect from them and also what they expected from... See more
Company details
About Mediation First
Written by the company
At Mediation First we think people deserve a better way of settling arguments than battling it out in the courts.
If you’re involved in any dispute - whether it stems from a divorce or separation, mediation is a simpler and less expensive solution.
We’re the go-to mediation experts throughout the UK for this fast-growing alternative to the traditional solicitor route.
By seeing the whole picture – not just one side or the other – our mediation services work to resolve disputes quickly and keep costs to a minimum.
Why choose Mediation First?
Written by the company
- At Mediation First, we understand that resolving conflicts can be a challenging and stressful experience. Unlike the adversarial nature of court proceedings, our mediators offer a compassionate and client-centred approach to dispute resolution. This makes it the preferred choice for a number of reasons.
- Mediation is:
- • Cost-effective: save significant time and money by choosing mediation, avoiding the financial toll of court fees.
- • Private and confidential: your privacy is safeguarded in mediation,ensuring sensitive matters stay private.
- • Client-centred: mediation focuses on helping you understand your options and find mututally agreeable solutions.
- • Cooperative: mediation fosters understanding and cooperation, preserving vlauable personal and professional relationships that court battles often strain.
Accredited FMC Family Mediators
With Mediation First you can be sure that your mediator is a professional in their field and has not only completed a short training course.
All of our mediators have achieved FMC accreditation status with the Family Mediation Council - a process that normally takes around two years to complete and requires ongoing professional development.
Contact info
Park House Business Centre, 10 Park Street, Bristol, BS1 5HX, Bristol, United Kingdom
- 0330 320 7600
- office@mediationfirst.co.uk
- mediationfirst.co.uk
Move Forward with Mediation First
4.6
Excellent
368 reviews
Asks customers to review
This company invites their customers to review, whether positive or negative
Replied to 100% of negative reviews
Typically replies within 48 hours
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Very professional
They made me feel at ease and went though the process. Very professional and I would definitely recommend them.
3 November 2026
I didn’t have to attend mediation after…
I didn’t have to attend mediation after miam given the history of abuse I’ve had and the mediator saw that
29 October 2026
I can see it's beneficial if both…
I can see it's beneficial if both party's are there to actually work through stuff openly and honestly, they were helpful, polite and accommodating
29 October 2026
Inadequate and unprofessional
I am writing this review because, in my experience, this service has fallen well short of the professional standards and client-focused approach I would expect.
I arranged mediation from my side, but the other party either failed to respond or declined to participate. Following this, I received a confirmation email stating that the mediation process had concluded, and I was also issued with the relevant certificate.
However, I subsequently discovered that the other party had been given the opportunity to attend a mediation session after my case had already been concluded. What I find particularly disappointing is that I was not kept informed or updated about this appointment or the further developments in the process.
Regardless of the circumstances, I believe both parties should be treated fairly and kept appropriately informed throughout the process. The lack of communication has left me questioning the professionalism, transparency and overall quality of the service provided.
Based on my experience, I would describe the service as poorly communicated and insufficiently client-focused. It is particularly frustrating when people are already dealing with difficult personal circumstances and rely on an organisation to handle matters professionally and impartially.
Ultimately, this experience has left me feeling let down, and I would struggle to recommend this service based on the way my case has been handled.
28 October 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Mediation First
Dear Kai,
Thank you for taking to take the time to leave this review of your experience with us.
I am really sorry that you feel as strongly as you do and having a look in to your case I accept that we fell below our very high levels of professionalism of client care on this occasion.
For the purpose of replying to your review here, as you are aware, we have been in contact with you directly in relation to this matter and provided you with an explanation of what happened and a refund of your MIAM fee.
In relation to your specific issue, our current systems should have picked this up meaning that we would have handled this in a different way. I can only offer our apologies again for that. Given what happened, I can reassure you that we have made changes to our processes to ensure this cannot happen again.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
Helpful with sorting out a dispute…
Helpful with sorting out a dispute between myself and son’s mum.
Have now taken to court.
9 September 2026
Helpful to know the best and worst thst…
Helpful to know the best and worst thst could happen.
26 October 2026
There quite frankly laughable you…
There quite frankly laughable you couldn't get through to them if your life depended on it and then the only time your call goes through their offices aren't open and what makes me laugh even further is when their offices are open they can't answer the phone or they're not available I need a mediation team just a mediate with them I have more success getting through to the ex partner that hasn't written to me since Christmas
24 October 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Mediation First
Hi Andrew,
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review.
Please accept our apologies if you have not been able to get through to speak to a member of the team.
Our opening hours are Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm and you can call our Mediation Support Team on 0330 320 7600.
Having a look at your file you are currently completing a legal aid assessment and we have been waiting on you to send us some further information which we received on Friday. Now that we have that we will respond to you as soon as we can.
We do have a high demand for our legal aid applications and so unfortunately it can take a few days before we can reply. Please bear with us and we will get back to you as soon as we can.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
Not a good experience at all
11 June 2026
Reply from Mediation First
Hi Jonathan,
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review.
It is always very difficult for us to hear when clients feel that they have had a bad experience with our service and so I can only apologise to you if you felt that.
Having a look at your file, as always I am unable to provide specific details in this response due to confidentiality. However, from what I can see, all of our dealings with you from both our admin team and the mediator that you met with for the initial one-to-one meeting appear to have been carried out in an entirely professional manner.
Unfortunately in your case it appears that a decision was made not to pursue mediation. As a service we will always do our best to try to facilitate a mediation where it is safe and appropriate to do so for all parties - however, it is ultimately a process that needs commitment from both parties and where that it not the case then mediation cannot proceed.
Mediation is not a now or never event even when the matter is going through a court process, and so the door remains open to you to pursue mediation in the future either with our service or another.
I wish you all the best for the future.
Tom
Mediation First
Don't understand legal aid
Don't understand legal aid. Had to explain info about the value of our house that they already had for them to use common sense even though they knew I was on Universal Credit. Had mediation over how our house was going to be split and mediator asked out of nowhere if there was "police or social worker involvement" in our 50/50 child custody arrangement. Arrogant snobs that just want to overcomplicate things.
Can't reply to replies so here's an edit:
1) The "evidence" they required was an email from my ex-partner saying she lives in the house they already know she lives in because they had already met her. The DWP were able to work that out without speaking to her so yes, common sense.
2) Zero chance you ask about police/social services if I'm not on Universal Credit. The mediation as you knew was about the house not our childcare. For clarity: no there has never been police/social services involved in our completely amicable 50/50 childcare arrangement and MF knew this going into my meeting. I found that incredibly offensive and snobbish.
Pro tip: you don't need mediation if you're amicable with your partner and don't let any lawyer tell you otherwise.
21 October 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Mediation First
Dear Tom,
Thank you for leaving this review of our service and I am sorry that you felt that you did not have a good experience with us.
As always with the replies that we post here I am not able to provide any specific details due to confidentiality, however, in relation to your legal aid application, by way of explanation, we have no discretion as to the eligibility criteria as we are bound by the guidance issued by the Legal Aid Agency. In your particular case it was not a matter of common sense as there was a requirement for you to provide us with further information so that we could verify your financial circumstances. Once you had done that we were able to determine that you were eligible for legal aid and so the service would be free for you.
In relation to your one-to-one meeting with our mediator, having spoken with them, they offer a different account and felt that you had left the meeting informed about the process and with an understanding of the next steps. As part of the initial meeting that takes place before joint mediation sessions there is, as part of the Family Mediation Council's MIAM standards, a requirement for mediators to understand all aspects of the background to the case including clarifying whether other professionals are involved with the family.
This is a professional duty of the mediator to ensure that mediation is safe and appropriate before proceeding.
I hope this helps to address your concerns but should you wish to speak with us directly then please get in touch with our Mediation Support Team on 0330 3207600 and they will be happy to put you in touch with one of our directors.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
A really positive experience
I had a really positive experience with my MIAMs meeting this morning. The whole process was straightforward, reassuring and informative. Everything was explained clearly, and I felt comfortable asking questions and talking things through. I came away feeling much more informed and reassured about the next steps. I would highly recommend it to anyone feeling unsure or anxious about the process.
21 October 2026
Reply from Mediation First
Hi Dannielle,
I really appreciate you taking the time to leave this review of our service.
Very glad to hear that you felt the process was straightforward, reassuring and informative, but also importantly that you felt comfortable and so were able to talk things through with the mediator.
I will pass your comments on to the mediator and wish you all the best with the process going forward.
Tom
Mediation First
Will Stuart was helpful
Will Stuart was helpful, to the point and give me all the information I needed and I would recommend
21 October 2026
Mediator was friendly
Mediator was friendly, calm, understood my situación, easy to talk to. Very enjoyable conversation
13 October 2026
A way forward
I was really anxious but I was made to feel at ease and felt I was really listened to . This is a hard time and the advice given was helpful and the outcome so far made perfect sense,
The situation is not over but I feel ground has been made, it was the right decision for me to take up meditation
12 October 2026
Reply from Mediation First
Hi Darran,
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review of your experience with us.
All of our mediators appreciate that when clients come to us they are going through what can be an extremely difficult time. In the one-to-one meeting they are able to offer a safe space for you to be able to discuss your specific circumstances and also help you to understand what the mediation process looks like, whether it will be helpful or suitable for you and therefore what your next steps might be.
I'm glad that you were able to gain so much from this meeting. I will pass your comments on to your mediator and wish you all the best going forward.
Tom
Mediation First
I found this service to be invaluable
I found this service to be invaluable, helping me navigate what could have been a very tough time. Jules our mediator is a really warm and friendly lady who took time to check in on how we each felt before the session, yet guided us smoothly through the necessary ‘stuff’ without wasting any time - a great skill to have!
I shall be forever grateful for Jules’s help and for the sensitive way she helped us arrive at our successful outcome. A very valuable service indeed.
9 October 2026
Reply from Mediation First
Hi,
Thank you for your very kind words in relation to your experience with Mediation First.
It is a special skill of mediators to be able to use their knowledge, expertise and personality to help our clients in the way that they do. I'm really glad that you were able to benefit from using the service and I will of course pass on your comments to Jules.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
Jules made me feel as relaxed as…
Jules made me feel as relaxed as possible. She explained each step carefully and was sure to check we were both in agreement all along the way. In very trying circumstances she made the process as easy as possible.
9 October 2026
Reply from Mediation First
Dear Colin,
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review of your experience with Mediation First.
It is wonderful to hear that Jules was able to make the process as easy as possible given the circumstances.
I will pass your comments on to her and I'm sure she will be very pleased.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
Excellent, professional and reassuring family mediation service
I had an excellent experience with Mediation First, particularly with Jan G., the accredited family mediator who conducted my appointment.
Jan was wonderful throughout. She was patient, professional, very knowledgeable, and exceptionally clear in how she explained the mediation process. She took the time to go through everything with me in detail, answered my questions carefully, and made sure I understood the different stages, what mediation could and could not do, and the possible next steps.
What I particularly appreciated was that I never felt rushed. Jan listened attentively, gave me time to explain my circumstances properly, and approached the conversation in a calm, respectful, and balanced way. Family matters can understandably be difficult and emotionally demanding, and having someone who communicates with patience, clarity and professionalism makes a significant difference.
I came away from the meeting feeling much better informed and with a considerably clearer understanding of the process and my available options. I was genuinely very pleased with the service I received. I would have no hesitation in recommending Jan and Mediation First to anyone looking for professional, impartial and supportive family mediation services.
29 September 2026
Reply from Mediation First
Dear Jules,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such an in-depth review of your time with our mediator Jan.
Jan is very experienced in the field of Family Law, having worked as a Family Lawyer for 30 years and is also a divorce coach. She is able to bring all of her knowledge to the sessions and I'm really glad that you were able to benefit from her experience in relation to your particular situation.
I'm sure she will be thrilled with these comments and I will pass them on to her.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
Very easy to talk to
Very easy to talk to. Everything explained well and able to make a real connection with the mediator. Very knowledgeable and gave excellent advice.
6 October 2026
Reply from Mediation First
Dear Mark,
Thanks for taking the time to leave these kind comments of your experience with Mediation First.
I'm glad that our mediator was able to provide both knowledge and give good guidance as to your particular situation.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
I would highly recommend Karen
I would highly recommend Karen and Mediation First.
Karen helped us through what was understandably a difficult and emotional situation, and her professionalism, calm approach and clear communication made the whole process much easier to deal with.
Throughout the mediation, Karen was approachable, understanding and completely professional. She explained everything clearly, kept the process focused and helped ensure that discussions remained constructive, even when dealing with difficult subjects.
I genuinely appreciated the way Karen handled everything and the support she provided throughout. What could have been a very stressful process was made considerably easier because of her experience and professional approach.
Thank you, Karen, for all your help and guidance.
17 July 2026
Unprompted review
Reply from Mediation First
Hi,
Thank you for taking the time to leave this review.
I have passed your comments on to Karen and she is very pleased that you found her support really helpful through this process.
I think you have said it all as far as the skills Karen can bring and the potential of the effectiveness of mediation when it is carried out by a skilled and knowledgeable professional.
Karen is one of our most experienced mediators and we are very lucky to have her as a member of our team here at Mediation First.
Best wishes
Tom
Mediation First
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