Judith Kelbie

Let’s meet… Judith Kelbie

Judith is an experienced mediator and non-practicing solicitor with a distinguished background as a litigation lawyer and partner in a major law firm. She brings 20 years of mediation expertise across civil, commercial, and workplace matters after completing her mediation training with Stitt, Feld & Handy in 2004.

A Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Civil Mediation Council, Judith’s dedication to the field extends to her role as director and lead tutor at the London School of Mediation, where she inspires new mediators to uphold the highest standards of professional practice.

Judith has mediated a broad spectrum of disputes, including clinical negligence, personal injury, employment, inheritance, property, business, shareholder, and boardroom conflicts. Her experience spans diverse sectors such as healthcare, banking, legal, retail, commercial, and public, both in the UK and internationally.

For Judith, mediation offers a powerful, effective way for people and organisations to resolve their conflicts on their own terms. Her focus is on helping parties achieve swift, practical and sustainable solutions, thereby reducing stress, costs and uncertainty.

With a keen understanding of multi-party dynamics, Judith is highly skilled in team facilitation, multi-party and co-mediation techniques. Known for her rigorous preparation and her compassionate, patient approach; Judith has achieved a remarkable success rate in even the most complex cases. Her success stems from her exceptional listening skills and her ability to patiently and tenaciously guide parties toward durable resolutions. 

Helps you feel assured and actively involved

Judith’s style emphasises facilitative mediation, where neutrality and impartiality empower parties to create their own outcomes. She has also trained as an evaluative mediator, which allows her to bring in reality testing and evaluation where appropriate, ensuring that parties are fully prepared to make informed decisions. Judith’s approach balances empathy and the constructive handling of emotions, especially in highly-sensitive disputes where emotions might impede settlement.

Understanding the power of trust and preparation, Judith works closely with parties to ensure they feel confident and fully engaged in the mediation process. She encourages principled negotiation, helping parties articulate their goals effectively, while employing a range of techniques to overcome impasse. Her approach always emphasises fairness and legitimacy in outcomes, and her robust reality-testing skills allow her to explore solutions rigorously, yet always with respect for the parties' autonomy.

Judith’s commitment to excellence in mediation has made her a highly respected practitioner. She continues to find great satisfaction in empowering individuals and organisations to resolve conflicts with dignity, integrity and lasting impact.