MPA launches mediation service

The Music Publishers Association (MPA) today launched a new mediation service, providing its members with access to a panel of experienced mediators as a cost effective option for resolving disputes. The scheme will be administered by the MPA whose central London office will be made available to accommodate the mediation sessions.

Mediation is a form of dispute resolution. Where two parties are in dispute, mediation provides a framework for resolving the problem without resorting to court proceedings. The role of the independent mediator is not to make a decision but to facilitate a resolution acceptable to both parties.

Stephen Navin, chief executive of the MPA said: “We at the MPA actively encourage our members to consider mediation as a way of resolving disputes, particularly where it serves to avoid court proceedings which can be both time-consuming and ruinously expensive.

“Mediation can result in a swift resolution, acceptable to both parties, and also helps to preserve the relationship between those parties. We have assembled a panel of individuals with enormous expertise in intellectual property and a vast amount of experience in the field. I believe that access to this service at a beneficial rate is a real advantage to MPA members.”

At launch the panel of mediators available to MPA members via the scheme will include Sarah Faulder, Dennis Muirhead, Andrew Thompson and Mark Wyeth QC.