Tessa Herman

Let’s meet… Tessa Herman

An experienced mediator and non-practising solicitor with over 20 years in the legal field, Tessa qualified as a solicitor in 1998 and developed a particular expertise in high-value and complex claimant catastrophic injury cases, especially those involving brain injuries in both adults and children.

In 2012, she transitioned from practice to set up her own legal consultancy, providing expert legal support to firms handling complex injury litigation before broadening her expertise by training as a civil and commercial mediator with the London School of Mediation in 2014. Tessa is now an accredited mediator who can handle civil and commercial cases, workplace and Special Educational Needs & Disability (SEND) mediations.

A member of both the Civil Mediation Council and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Tessa is also a Director at the London School of Mediation, where she contributes to the development and delivery of high-quality mediation training worldwide.

Her passion for mediation stems from her recognition of it as a powerful alternative to litigation. Having seen firsthand the significant financial and emotional costs of prolonged legal battles, Tessa is committed to facilitating creative, cost-effective resolutions for her clients. Over the past decade, she has mediated many challenging cases, resulting in outcomes that benefit all parties involved.

Attentive, compassionate and thought provoking

Tessa’s strengths as a mediator lie in her ability to engage with people from all backgrounds and her strong communication skills. Her patience, empathy and tenacity enable her to manage even the most emotionally-charged mediations. Her legal background ensures she can process complex issues quickly, cutting through the details to focus on the key interests of the parties involved.

Tessa’s mediation style and philosophy revolve around empowering participants to reach their own resolutions. As a facilitator, she guides the parties by focusing on their core interests, challenging long-held positions where necessary, and encouraging mutually-beneficial solutions.

Emotion is an inevitable part of every mediation, and Tessa is skilled at managing emotions and handling expectations to help ensure successful outcomes. Her empathetic communication, combined with a practical understanding of the legal complexities and pressures of litigation, is vital to creating an environment conducive to resolution.

Tessa’s mediation strategies include active listening and identifying the underlying interests of participants. By understanding what matters most to them, she can help the parties recognise the potential consequences of not reaching an agreement. Through reality testing, she encourages participants to reassess their positions and move beyond impasse, creating pathways to resolution that are both creative and effective.