Said, Baroness Morgan, ‘I am a firm supporter of mediation as an affordable way for companies to resolve their disputes. The UK-IPO is keen to raise awareness of the availability of mediation and its benefits, and we welcome this initiative from ACID.’

‘MEDIATE TO RESOLVE’ – a National mediation scheme for designer/manufacturers, pan industry, offers mediation as a real alternative to litigation in intellectual property disputes.

ACID’s Mediate to Resolve service provides a highly cost effective and time effective route to dispute resolution bringing parties together with the support of a mediator to resolve alleged copying complaints whilst avoiding legal intervention.

ACID’s Mediate to Resolve panel is chaired by former High Court Judge Sir Jonathan Parker, providing both ACID members and non members with a countrywide network of leading accredited mediators, skilled in dispute resolution within the design industry.

‘As a Judge, I have seen all too often how parties to a dispute can become locked into litigation when mediation at an early stage might well have resulted in a satisfactory compromise. Having regard to the inevitable cost, time and stress of litigation - to say nothing of the risk of losing the case - mediation must always be worth a try which is why I am so committed to the concept of mediation.’

Dids Macdonald, ACID’s CEO, has been an outspoken advocator of mediation since the organisation’s launch in 1998. Out of the 2,000 grass roots mediations less than 30% required further legal intervention. Adds Dids Macdonald, ‘So often mediation can result in realistic out of court settlements therefore avoiding potentially costly and often inflammatory legal disputes. Mediation, as an alternative to litigation, can also result in commercial agreements being brokered. I know of many designers who have walked away from mediation with a royalty or licence agreement in their pocket rather than a hefty legal bill.

ACID’s prime objective is to help designers appreciate and protect their IP equity. Much of the UK’s excellent design talent is being sucked dry by high street copycats and many designer/manufacturers can’t afford to fight their case through the courts when their products are ripped off. Our objective is to ensure that every designer in the UK understands the value of their IP rights, the multiple benefits of mediation and has access to our Mediate to Resolve service.’