Olivia Van Der Werff

Olivia is an expert in all contract/commercial disputes but has particular experience in the issues facing SME businesses. She holds a comprehensive understanding of the broadcast industry.

Olivia also has a particular understanding of the issues facing neurodiverse parties and in being mindful of the mental health implications of unresolved disputes.

Olivia is known for having a warm and engaging approach, allowing her to defuse difficult dynamics and assist entrenched parties in seeing a way forward.

Her business background gives her a strong commercial awareness and she takes a practical approach to mediation and resolving disputes. Olivia has considerable experience working with parties with a wide range of backgrounds and cultures, and is excellent at building rapport with parties in dispute.

Olivia was admitted in 2000 and practised in Bristol before becoming the first solicitor to dual qualify in health and safety in the UK. Subsequently, she left private practice and established and grew a national health and safety consultancy through a franchise model before selling the company to an AIM Listed PLC in 2004.

Since then, she has run a consultancy that provides dispute resolution, safety and fairness advice. Olivia is the industry leader in ensuring fair play and proper representation for contestants in tv gameshows. She is generally accredited as having been the creator and instigator of fair practice systems now adopted throughout the broadcast media industry and recognised as industry standard.

• Chartered Member of IOSH
• Associate Member of BAFTA
• Registered Mediator with the Civil Mediation Council