Author of the Divorce Manual

John is the Founder and Director of Compass Resolution Ltd, a national Network of highly skilled accredited mediators specialising in Family and Business dispute resolution, founded in in 2011.

John founded the Family Mediation Team UK, the first multi-disciplinary Family Mediation national organisation creating a Family Mediation Team model involving solicitors, financial and child experts working alongside and within the mediation process.

John has been a Mediator (Family and Civil) for over 25 years helping and supporting 1000’s of his clients to reach their own agreements and avoid court in a wide range and variety of conflictual situations. He is also a Neuro Linguistic Practitioner and Divorce Coach, specialising in conflict management communication.

Following a brief 4-year career as an officer in the British Army John practiced as a Solicitor for over 25 years, running his own legal Practice offering the Collaborative practice option before deciding exclusively offer mediation. 

In 2010, following a series of life changing events, he set up Compass Resolution Ltd, an organisation completely committed to helping their clients reach their own agreements and avoid court using a ‘team’ mediation support process. 

He was among the first Solicitors in the United Kingdom in2005 to be trained as a Collaborative practitioner specialising in working with other solicitors and their clients to achieve out of court settlements which informed his multi-disciplinary approach to mediation and the ‘supported mediation’ model which he has developed.

Over the years, John and his Company have trained hundreds of professionals and members of the public in mediation and conflict resolution skills running a range of Conflict Resolution skills courses and programmes across the country.

John has written and taught extensively in person and online in all matters conflict resolution related. This Divorce Manual represents a continuation of his commitment to mediation in the context of separation and Divorce and his belief that with the right help and support, most separating couples are capable of sorting out their own agreements following separation.

He currently lives in Exeter, Devon, UK

To Henry Brown, renowned international lawyer and mediator, who trained me as a mediator in 1997 and showed me the path to a more enlightened way to practice.

I am so very grateful to those who originally trained me as a mediator including Henry Brown and Helen Howard (Garlick) and those who have been particularly influential during my journey as a Conflict Resolution specialist, including Monika Cockett, Angela Lake-Carroll, Robbie Clark and Suzy Power.

Also, thank you to my family for their patience during all the hours I have spent writing and constructing this multi-media Divorce Manual and the time spent locked away in my study, writing, shooting videos and creating guides. I love you all very much. 

Thank you to my good friend Ollie Pearson of Design the New Ltd and his team for their help and support with ‘bringing this Manual to market’ in a way that we hope most of our readers find helpful. Your feedback is always most welcome.

Above all, I would like to thank all the inspirational clients I have worked with, those who grabbed the opportunity mediation offered and, through their focus, commitment and efforts, made it work for themselves. 

These are the people from whom I have and continue to learn so much. They are my inspiration. 

These are the people who continue to make my conflict resolution work and passion so worthwhile. 

This Manual is dedicated to you all.