Background to CCODR

Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is becoming increasingly integrated into the civil justice system as an extension of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR). As far back as the Woolf Report, the use of various forms of ADR as a precursor to entering the court system or as an alternative to that system was strongly advocated.

Given the increased role of ADR in and outside of the justice system, where adjudication, arbitration, mediation and negotiation are playing a key role we realised there needed to be a safe and secure way for practitioners to bring their respective practices online. To that end we at CCODR set out, back in 2018, to provide just that, a secure ODR platform which meets the requisite governing standards in the industry. 

‍The CCODR Platform

‍We have partnered with industry leading software providers to ensure our offering is the best out there and that provides all the requisite tools needed to bring your practice online while also protecting yourself and the parties using it. We are confident practitioners and parties alike will enjoy the experience, convenience and security our ODR Platform brings. 

‍The CCODR regulation

‍The second part of our mission was to provide much needed support to the regulation of the emerging ODR industry. This was not a case of reinventing regulation but rather we set about bringing already widely accepted standards in mediation, arbitration and adjudication together under the ‘one roof’. The aim is to offer a safe and secure set of guidelines to protect consumers whilst proceeding through ADR and ODR process.

“Low-value cases should be dealt with quickly and cheaply, completely online in certain instances. Unnecessary escalation of disputes should be emphatically discouraged and kept out of court wherever possible with increased emphasis on mediation and early neutral evaluation.”

The review concluded that

• 1. Low value cases should be dealt with quickly and cheaply. Something which the CCM platform is uniquely placed to facilitate.
• 2. In certain circumstances “completely online”. CCM offers its members access to a truly unique online platform which manages the entire process from collating evidence, managing document exchange, facilitating the actual online/virtual mediation, creating a settlement agreement, to all billing.

The review expresses a clear desire to keep cases out of court “wherever possible” and thus the CCM platform provides a clear route to achieve this goal.

Directors

Michael Bready
Non-Executive Director
Non-Executive Chairman

‍Michael has been a practising Barrister since 2000 in

• Commercial and Property
• Compensation Claims
• Employment and Discrimination
• Family & Matrimonial
• Wills & Estates

Michael Bready is a barrister, a qualified and practicing mediator since 2010 and a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Michael mediates in all areas and regularly contributes to training and increasing awareness in the mediation field. Michael has a very broad range of experience as a mediator from Commercial/Civil litigation, Wills disputes, family disputes, to professional negligence litigation. Michael enjoys a non-executive role in CCODR.

John Keers
Co-Founder & CBO
Director

‍John is a Co-founder of the CCODR, a qualified barrister and a practicing Commercial/Civil mediator, with additional specialist training in SEND mediation awarded by the College of Mediators. John is the Course Director for the International Commercial Law and ADR programme at Ulster University where he lectures widely in the area of Commercial Law, ADR and ODR. John has wide experience gained in both practice and teaching in this sector.

Aaron Moore
Co-Founder & Director
Director

‍Aaron is a Co-founder of CCODR, a solicitor and a construction adjudicator. Aaron is the head of Contentious Construction at Cleaver Fulton Rankin, a commercial law firm in Belfast and is a visiting lecturer on the University of Ulster Masters in International Commercial Law and ADR. He is recognised by Chambers as being, "meticulous in his work, gives clear and concise explanations to clients in a friendly way and is able to manage expectations effectively."

"meticulous in his work, gives clear and concise explanations to clients in a friendly way and is able to manage expectations effectively."

Gary Lyons
Co-Founder & CEO
Director

‍As a Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Gary operates at a senior executive level responsible for the strategic and corporate development of the business. Utilising his legal qualifications in law, compliance and mediation, Gary adds experienced senior managerial acumen to the execution of the business plan. Gary has extensive experience of the CTSI Consumer Code scheme having previous successful experience of launching and managing a Code.