John Sturrock KC is founder and senior mediator at Core Solutions and has also acted as a mediator through Brick Court Chambers in London. For over twenty years, he has been a pioneer of mediation in the UK, with an international reputation, and his work extends to the commercial, professional, sports, public sector, policy and political fields. He is identified as a Global Elite Thought Leader by Who’s Who Legal, is a Distinguished Fellow of the international Academy of Mediators and has been a Visiting Professor at the University of Edinburgh. He writes extensively and recently published the second volume of his book entitled “A Mediator’s Musings” (both volumes available on Amazon).

John also specialises in facilitation, negotiation, mediation and conflict management training and consultancy for leaders in the private and public sectors, sport, the professions and government. For many years, he has worked with various parliaments throughout the UK on improving effective scrutiny of policy. He regularly advises and coaches senior officials in the Scottish Government on negotiation strategy in significant policy areas. He is founder of Collaborative Scotland, which promotes non-partisan respectful dialogue about difficult issues and is one of the initiators of the Mediators’ Green Pledge.

In 2019, John conducted a major review for the Scottish Government into allegations of bullying in NHS Highland and the subsequent “Sturrock Report” was well received across the public sector. He was a member of the Stewarding Group of the first Citizens Assembly in Scotland in 2019 – 2021. In 2019, John also co-chaired an Expert Group under the auspices of Scottish Mediation which produced an important report entitled “Bringing Mediation into the Mainstream”.

John practised at the Scottish Bar from 1986 – 2002 and was appointed a Queen’s (now King’s) Counsel in 1999 and, as the first Director of Training and Education in the Faculty of Advocates from 1994 to 2002, designed and led the Scottish Bar’s award-winning advocacy skills programme. He trained in negotiation at Harvard University in 1996 and was named Specialist of the Year at the Scottish Legal Awards in 2003 and Mediator of the Year at the Law Awards of Scotland in 2009.  He was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws from Edinburgh Napier University in 2010.

Full CV | LinkedIn | John’s Blog

Charlie Woods

Formerly Director of Strategy and Chief Economist at Scottish Enterprise and now executive director of the Scottish Universities Insight Institute, Charlie has extensive experience of industry, commerce, and public and private sector organisations, ranging from SMEs to government. His mediation and facilitation experience extends to planning, family business, management, PPP contracts, transport infrastructure, government policy and professional services. Full CV

Liz Rivers

Liz was a commercial litigation lawyer in London for 10 years. One of the first people in the UK to become an accredited mediator, she has been mediating for nearly 20 years. She is recognised by Chambers Guide for her expertise in workplace and team conflicts and for her innovation and creativity.

She is a highly experienced executive coach and facilitator, working with senior leaders and rising talent in a wide variety of organisations. She has been a trainer of mediation skills since 1993. Full CV

Emma Anstead

Emma qualified as a lawyer in Scotland in 1998 and specialised in employment law, advising both employers and employees. She was a partner in an Edinburgh based firm for a number of years. More recently, while living in the United States, she qualified and worked as a mediator in Texas before returning to Scotland where she became a member of Scottish Mediation and gained accreditation as a mediator through Core. Full CV

Enquiries?

For enquiries or to arrange a confidential, no-obligation discussion, please send an email to enquiries@core-solutions.com or call 0131 524 8188.