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Chris Makin

FCA FCMI FAE QDR MCIArb

Yorkshire

As a chartered accountant with extensive commercial experience, Chris Makin’s early mediation work focused on finance-related areas such as shares, partnerships and contracts.

Since then, his skills and reputation have brought him success mediating in other matters of probate, boundaries and rights of way, defamation, construction, and much more. His particular talent lies in analysing individuals in order to ‘speak their language’ and identify what really matters to them in order to move towards settlement.

TBG House (6)

 

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Chris Makin
Profession

Profession

Accountant

Profession

Local Panel

Yorkshire

Profession

Specialist Panel

Accounting & Finance

Membership Level

Membership Level

Elite

Chris' Experience

 

 
Areas of Expertise

Chris has mediated successfully across diverse commercial and civil disputes, including:

  • Partnership
  • Professional negligence
  • Business and share valuations
  • Director
  • Contract
  • Construction
  • Boundary, rights of way and encroachment
  • Civil fraud
  • Insolvency
  • Architect disputes
  • Housing disrepair
  • Defamation
  • Intellectual property
  • Expensive motor cars
  • Probate, Inheritance Act and TOLATA
Mediation Experience
  • Versatile, experienced mediator – Chris has undertaken further training in advanced mediation techniques and time-limited mediations. He also lectures to legal and other professionals on mediation. Chris mediates disputes across a wide range of issues, focusing on the people rather than the industries – with excellent results.
  • Excellent commercial understanding – As a practitioner accountant Chris built four practices, including three from scratch. He built the largest sole practice in Leeds with 18 members of staff, and later became a partner in an international firm. His management experience and wide-ranging client list – from market traders to PLCs – have seen him work successfully with people at all levels of business and from diverse sectors.
  • Highly empathic communicator – Chris listens closely and talks to people from all walks of life on their terms, able to quickly identify what is important to them in order to move seemingly entrenched positions towards settlement. One case saw Chris settle in one day a legacy dispute that had raged for 23 years, while others brought resolution where warring parties had even refused to sit in the same room at the start of the mediation process. 
  • National coverage – Based in Yorkshire and in London (Gray’s Inn), Chris works across the UK, including within Scotland’s independent legal framework.
Mediation Style

Chris says,

“I am a good listener and can empathise with all sorts of people; I have successfully worked with individuals from market traders to a prominent businessman knighted for services to industry. It’s all about finding out what life experiences and values they have.

“In mediation, I prepare very carefully. I listen, I empathise. I find the true needs of the parties. And by remembering to talk in terms of their language, in terms of what is important to them, I find out how their dispute may be settled.”

Qualifications
  • Time-Limited Mediations training
  • Advanced Mediation Techniques training
  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators – member (2006)
  • Academy of Experts – Investigations Committee member, Fellow (1994)
  • Chartered Institute of Management – Fellow (1984)
  • Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW) – Fellow (1979), associate (1968)
  • Accredited Mediator (QDR) - Academy of Experts 1998
  • Accredited Expert Determiner (QDR) - Academy of Experts 1998
History
  • 31 May 2024
    Shareholder Dispute
    Settled
  • 25 April 2024
    5 Doctors' Partnership Dispute
    Settled
  • 10 January 2023
    Doctor's retirement
    Outcome: Settled
  • 6 October 2022
    Collision at sea
    Outcome: Settled
  • 7 September 2022
    Preferential payments in insolvency
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 26 April 2022
    Diversion of trade
    Outcome: Settled
  • 14 April 2022
    Accountancy fees
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 14 April 2022
    Professional Fee Dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 29 July 2021
    Property dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 22 March 2021
    Professional neglicence
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 22 March 2021
    Professional Negligence
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 20 May 2020
    S994 £7m shareholder dispute
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 12 May 2020
    Shareholder
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 16 July 2019
    Buy to let management
    Outcome: Settled
  • 11 July 2019
    Boundary dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 1 November 2018
    Director/shareholder dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 26 June 2018
    Flood damage
    Outcome: Settled
  • 27 April 2018
    Sale of company
    Outcome: Settled
  • 25 April 2018
    Directors, S994, conspiracy
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 4 January 2018
    S994 unfair prejudice £2m
    Outcome: Settled
  • 31 October 2017
    ToLATA
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 18 October 2017
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 12 June 2017
    Doctors' partnership
    Outcome: Settled
  • 10 February 2017
    Accountant professional negligence
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 24 November 2016
    Insolvency - pursuit of assets
    Outcome: Settled
  • 2 September 2016
    Farming partnership cessation
    Outcome: Settled
  • 20 July 2016
    Solicitor retirement dispute
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 20 November 2015
    Accountancy fees
    Outcome: Settled
  • 5 October 2015
    Trailer Hire Charge
    Outcome: Settled
  • 20 February 2015
    Architect partnership retirement
    Outcome: Settled
  • 18 November 2014
    Probate
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 8 August 2014
    Property maintenance
    Outcome: Settled
  • 18 July 2014
    Partnership dissolution
    Outcome: Settled
  • 30 April 2014
    LLP retirement
    Outcome: Settled
  • 17 January 2014
    Solicitor partnership retirement
    Outcome: Settled
  • 15 January 2014
    Tax professional negligence
    Outcome: Settled
  • 9 December 2013
    Intro fees to CMC solicitor
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 20 November 2013
    Partnership dissolution at end of marriage
    Outcome: Settled
  • 14 October 2013
    Services to PPI company
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 16 August 2013
    Construction joint venture
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 3 May 2013
    Divorce finances
    Outcome: Settled
  • 18 April 2013
    Inheritance Act
    Outcome: Settled
  • 22 February 2013
    Probate
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 November 2012
    Property & trust funds
    Outcome: Settled
  • 15 November 2012
    Provision of plumbing services
    Outcome: Settled
  • 3 August 2012
    Minority shareholder
    Outcome: Settled
  • 14 July 2012
    Right of way
    Outcome: Settled
  • 20 June 2012
    Tax investigation fees insurance
    Outcome: Settled
  • 16 March 2012
    Accountants' professional negligence
    Outcome: Settled
  • 10 February 2012
    Partnership cessation
    Outcome: Settled
  • 22 November 2011
    Professional negligence
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 16 November 2011
    Partnership
    Outcome: Settled
  • 17 January 2011
    Boundary dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 7 December 2010
    Commercial supply of electricity
    Outcome: Settled
  • 27 September 2010
    Misuse of beneficiary's funds
    Outcome: Settled
  • 15 September 2010
    Unpaid rent; goods supplied
    Outcome: Settled
  • 21 May 2010
    Leaking restaurant roof
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 11 March 2010
    Unpaid legal fees
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 18 November 2009
    Family loans & property
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 11 November 2009
    Renovation of 35' boat
    Outcome: Settled
  • 13 October 2009
    Neighbour harrassment
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 8 September 2009
    Debt claim
    Outcome: Settled
  • 26 August 2009
    Joint venture property development
    Outcome: Settled
  • 23 June 2009
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 9 June 2009
    Interior decorator services
    Outcome: Settled
  • 1 May 2009
    Probate
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 1 April 2009
    Tax professional negligence
    Outcome: Settled
  • 27 January 2009
    Propounded codicil dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 30 October 2008
    Diversion of trade
    Outcome: Settled after date
  • 21 October 2008
    Unfair prejudice (S994)
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 30 September 2008
    Partnership dispute - greyhound syndicate
    Outcome: Settled
  • 19 June 2008
    Contract supply of chickens
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 22 April 2008
    Defective plumbing contract
    Outcome: Settled
  • 12 March 2008
    Supply of goods; loss of profit
    Outcome: Settled
  • 3 March 2008
    Family partnership
    Outcome: Settled
  • 25 January 2008
    Ownership of house' Gujurati speakers
    Outcome: Settled
  • 11 January 2008
    Construction
    Outcome: Settled
  • 13 December 2007
    £25m company sale/purchase
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 28 November 2007
    Legal costs re property dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 4 October 2007
    Ship repairs
    Outcome: Settled
  • 27 September 2007
    Breach of contract
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 August 2007
    Employment in Kurgystan
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 7 August 2007
    Probate
    Outcome: Settled
  • 13 July 2007
    Booking of conference venue
    Outcome: Settled
  • 12 July 2007
    Supply of temporary workers
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 27 June 2007
    Probate
    Outcome: Settled
  • 8 May 2007
    Bankers' negligence in contruction contract
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 20 April 2007
    Defamation
    Outcome: Settled
  • 20 March 2007
    Defective flying lessons
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 7 March 2007
    Professional negligence, tax mitigation
    Outcome: Settled
  • 2 February 2007
    Professional negligence
    Outcome: Settled
  • 31 January 2007
    Co director dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 7 November 2006
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 1 November 2006
    Sisters in partnership dispute
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 27 October 2006
    Probate & property dispute
    Outcome: Settled
  • 9 October 2006
    Partnership dissolution
    Outcome: Settled
  • 22 September 2006
    Professional negligence re trust deed
    Outcome: Settled
  • 14 July 2006
    Housing - wrongful eviction
    Outcome: Settled
  • 2 March 2006
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 February 2006
    Rejected motor vehicle
    Outcome: Settled
  • 22 January 2006
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 10 January 2006
    Joint venture - housebuilding
    Outcome: Settled
  • 6 January 2006
    Electrical contracting
    Outcome: Settled
  • 14 December 2005
    Construction - boundary
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 12 December 2005
    Construction encroachment
    Outcome: Did Not Settle
  • 18 October 2005
    Sale of business
    Outcome: Settled
  • 9 September 2005
    Defamation
    Outcome: Settled
  • 20 August 2005
    Sale of company
    Outcome: Settled
  • 12 July 2005
    Partnership dissolution
    Outcome: Settled
  • 16 June 2005
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 May 2005
    Partnership dissolution
    Outcome: Settled
  • 14 May 2005
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 April 2005
    Partnership dissolution
    Outcome: Settled
  • 7 February 2005
    Rejected motor vehicle
    Outcome: Settled
  • 17 January 2005
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 10 December 2004
    Accountancy fees
    Outcome: Settled
  • 3 December 2004
    Housing disrepaie
    Outcome: Settled
  • 19 November 2004
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 September 2004
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 June 2003
    Partnership fraud
    Outcome: Settled
  • 15 May 2003
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 22 June 2002
    Partnership dissolution
    Outcome: Settled
  • 20 March 2001
    Partnership dissolution
    Outcome: Settled
  • 8 December 2000
    Housing disrepair
    Outcome: Settled
  • 28 July 1999
    Business interruption
    Outcome: Settled

Chris' Testimonials

Chris Makin managed to move entrenched parties to address difficult issues and resolve a situation that looked impossible.

This was an extremely satisfying outcome to this long-running dispute.

Great mediator! All disputes should if possible be settled this way.

 

Untitled design (35)

 

Contact us about working with Chris

If you’d like to work with Chris Makin or any of our other TBG Mediators, send us your details and we’ll get back to you.