Background
- Over 20 years’ commercial and legal experience
- GC/Head of Legal positions in the media, entertainment, creative and digital sectors
- International cross-industry experience that includes working with innovative new businesses and disruptive start-ups as well as multi-national corporations and household name brands.
Qualifications
- Accredited Commercial Mediator, UK (CEDR 2006)
- Approved Mediator, USA (New York 2015)
- Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (FCIArb)
- CMC Registered Mediator
- Barrister (1994 call)
- LLM in International, Commercial and European Law
Mediation Panels
- Mediator Panel, CEDR (London)
- IP Mediation Panel Member (World Intellectual Property Organisation, Geneva)
- Panel of Experienced Civil and Commercial Mediators (Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, London)
- Panel of Distinguished Neutrals (International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution, New York)
Other
Gill is Yorkshire born and bred although these days she calls leafy north London home when she isn’t travelling. She’s a passionate supporter of the arts particularly theatre, film and the visual arts. She’s also a qualified yoga teacher but she promises not make you practice your “downward dog” during a mediation.
Gill is non-executive director / board advisor for a Manchester based digital agency in the tech-for-good space that partners with charities and the third sector to combat some of societies biggest issues with innovative digital and technological solutions. She is also a founding Trustee and Co-Chair of the registered charity “TalkingWorks” which teaches mediation skills in schools to students aged 16+.
Gill’s Approach
Gill has many years’ experience working with businesses as an in-house commercial lawyer, negotiating complex high-value deals, resolving legal and business disputes and finding practical solutions to tricky problems. As a mediator, she combines a pragmatic commercial approach and understanding of what business people need with a friendly and engaging manner.
She has a talent for getting to the crux of a problem quickly and getting people to really focus on what matters. Gill believes that one of the strengths of mediation is that it puts clients in control of the outcome of their dispute, but she works hard to ensure that the parties reach the right deal on the day. Her thorough and energetic approach helps clients to identify workable and lasting solutions. With her help they are able to shape an agreement in a way that best suits their needs.
Her forward-looking approach allows businesses to focus on doing business rather than being in dispute and enables people to preserve and rebuild personal and working relationships.
Gill has successfully mediated disputes on both sides of the Atlantic and has considerable international dispute resolution experience.
Examples of Experience
- A complex commercial dispute between an international media company and a company providing customer management services and technology solutions for subscription and pay TV services.
- A commercial/intellectual property dispute relating to the development, licensing and distribution of games applications for internet, mobile and interactive TV platforms.
- Assisting the parties in a technology and engineering dispute between a company designing and selling medical devices and an international engineering company working with them to design and prototype a new product.
- Brokering the solution to a multi-party intellectual property dispute in the publishing industry relating to the unlicensed use of an image.
- Resolving a dispute relating to the development and implementation of an IT system developed for a company in the drinks industry.
- Resolving a commercial dispute between a multi-national drinks and brewing company and the owners of various high-end licensed premises relating to contractual terms and financial guarantees.
- Working with the parties to resolve a financial dispute arising out of the provision of professional services for a restaurant refinancing in New York.
- Resolving a dispute between two IT companies with a long trading history relating to the supply and licensing of branded IT hardware and software for inclusion in third party IT systems.
- Resolving a multi-party dispute in the film industry between parties in London and L.A. relating to director’s loans, director’s duties and fees claimed in respect of various motion pictures.
- Helping the parties to a dispute in the film industry relating to fees claimed for professional services on a documentary film in New York.
- Resolving two employee/workplace disputes in a public sector health organisation. One between the employer and an employee. The other between two consultants employed by the organisation.
- Working with the parties to resolve a financial and property dispute relating to personal, residential and agricultural property.
- Working with companies and individuals to resolve a variety of complex commercial problems, contractual disputes and professional negligence claims in the UK and US.
Examples of Feedback
- “It took great skill and experience to not only keep the mediation on track but to conclude with a successful outcome.” Solicitor, National Law Firm
- “Very impressed with the mediator who had to deal with difficult and at times emotional parties. A positive outcome was achieved for both parties as a result of the mediation process.” Solicitor, National Law Firm
- “This is the second time I have worked with Gill, and I found her to be very professional and easy to work with whilst maintaining her impartiality throughout the mediation. She was well prepared, thorough, built up a good rapport with the client and worked hard to ensure that the parties reached the right deal. I would strongly recommend her and would certainly use her services again.” Partner, London Law Firm
- “Gill expertly handled the mediation and managed to facilitate a resolution that looked unlikely at the commencement of the day.” Partner, London Law Firm
- “We selected Gill from a short-list of highly skilled mediators and she was a delight to work with. The mediation was quite technical as well as emotional for the parties involved. Gill handled it beautifully, putting the parties at ease from the start. She was professional and good-humoured, and it was easy to trust her and her skills. She brought the parties to a fair conclusion by around 6 pm on the day. I would highly recommend Gill and would select her as a mediator again.” Partner, London Law Firm
- “I would just like to let you know how much I really appreciated all of the effort and energy you put into the mediation process… Thank you for your sensitivity, flexibility and maintaining the momentum of progress to an acceptable conclusion. If I hear or know of anyone else in a difficult situation and requiring mediation I will have absolutely no hesitation in pointing them in your direction.”
Managing Director in the IT industry (party to the mediation)
- “Very impressed with Ms Mansfield.” Solicitor, Regional Law Firm
- “I was in awe of how professional Gill remained throughout the week of discussions. Her genuine love of helping people work through problems was evident the whole way through. She was brilliant. Thank you”. Party to a week-long multi-party workplace mediation
- “She was excellent.” Partner in an accountancy firm (party to the mediation)
