Associate Member Beverley Vara looks at what needs to be considered before and during a virtual mediation and how to get the best out of the day.

One thing the pandemic has done is accelerate change in business practices. All those tasks which we thought had to be done face to face, now seem so much more possible online. Even mediation, which seems so dependent on relationships and face to face meetings, has moved online. For certain mediations, for example where the parties are based internationally and for whatever reason travel is difficult, virtual mediation is likely to continue even after face to face mediation becomes possible again. This article sets out some things to consider both before and during a virtual mediation to get the best out of the mediation day.