CONTACT INFO:
Benjamin Lundström
Mediator, Partner, attorney-at-law (LL.M.)
SIRIUS advokater
Dampfærgevej 10, 2. sal
DK-2100 Copenhagen
Denmark
E-mail: bl@siriusadvokater.dk
Phone: + 45 20 40 82 22
Honorary award:
On 5 May 2021, Benjamin was awarded the Honorary Award from the Lawyers’ Award Committee (administered by the Danish Bar Association and managed by Secretary General Andrew Hjuler Crichton, attorney Kasper Mortensen and attorney Birgitte Skjødt) pursuant to section 5 (1) of the Foundation’s rules, which reads:
“Honorary awards are given – without an application – to Copenhagen attorneys as a recognition of the recipient’s achievements in special areas or in general”
The award was given to Benjamin for his “dedicated efforts as a mediator and a court mediator.”
ACCREDITED AND APPOINTED BY:
- The Danish Court Administration since 2008 as a mediator in the court annexed mediation scheme (http://www.domstol.dk/saadangoerdu/retsmaegling/Documents/Liste%20over%20advokatmaeglere.pdf)
- The Danish Mediation Institute, established by the Danish Bar Association (https://mediationsinstituttet.dk/mediatorer/benjamin-lundstrom/)
- The Danish Association of Mediation Lawyers (https://mediatoradvokater.dk/medlemmer/)
- The Danish Building and Construction Arbitration Board (https://voldgift.dk/?lang=en)
- The Danish Institute of Arbitration (https://voldgiftsinstituttet.dk/en/)
MEDIATION POSTS:
- Vice Chairman of the Board in The Danish Mediation Institute (2008-2010)
- Member of the Board for Ethical Rules for Court Mediators, the Danish Court Administration (https://www.domstol.dk/saadangoerdu/retsmaegling/Pages/Etiskeretningslinjerforretsmaegling.asp)
- Member of the Steering Committee of the Nordic Network for Court Mediators (since 2009)
- Chairman of the Board of the Danish Mediation Lawyers (2010-2016)
- Chairman of the Board of the Danish Mediation Institute (2012-2016)
- Board Member in the European Judges Group for Mediation (GEMME), Danish Chapter (since 2014)
- External lecturer, Master of Conflict Management, Copenhagen University, Faculty of Law.
- External lecturer in mediation, Master of Law, Copenhagen University, Faculty of Law, (see http://www2.adm.ku.dk/selv/pls/SEB_WWW21.vejviserdata?p_person_id=42896&p_stednr=60660200&p_sprog=DK)
- Instructor at the court mediator program, The Danish Court Administration
- Instructor at the mediator program for lawyers, The Association of Danish Law Firms
MEDIATION TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION:
1996: Mediation, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, Canada.
1999: Dispute Resolution, Master Program (LL.M.), University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
2000: ADR/Mediation, the Danish Law and Bar Society.
2003: Seminar: The Lawyers role in mediation and conflict management, the Danish Law and Bar Society
2004: Nordic Lawyers Academy: How to make a business out of mediation What’s in it for you?
2005: Advanced Mediation Workshop, Negotiation & Mediation, Lawrence Kerschen
2005: Seminar on ADR, Justice Department
2006: Advanced workshop- IT/IP Mediation, the Danish Law and Bar Society
2007: IT-Mediator certificate, the Danish Law and Bar Society
2008: Mediation and psychology, the Danish Mediation Lawyers
2008: Workshop on building a mediation business
2009: Psychological and communicative aspects of mediation
2009: Seminar on Court Mediation, the Danish Court Administration
2010: Brush up seminar, the Danish Mediation Lawyers
2010: Training for court mediators, the Danish Court Administration
2011: Training for court mediators, the Danish Court Administration
2012: Workshop for court mediators, the Danish Mediation Lawyers
2012: Negotiation seminar, the Danish Court Administration and the Danish Mediation Lawyers
2013: Training for court mediators, the Danish Court Administration
2013: Mediation in Family matters, Lisa Parkinson
2013: Advanced seminar and training for experienced court mediators, the Danish Court Administration
2014: Seminar on Transformative Mediation, Joe Folger
2014: Conference on ADR
2014: Course on Mediator ethics; “no view from nowhere”
2015: Training – transformativ mediation, Joe Folger
2015: Business Mediation, the Danish Institute of Arbitration and the Danish Maritime and Commercial High Court
2015: Court Mediator workshop, the Danish Court Administration
2015: The Mindful mediator – brain research, the Danish Mediation Lawyers
2016: Seminar, “Why does mediation work …?”, The Association of Legal Scholars
2016: Seminar, ”The Brain as a co-player and opponent in mediation”, the Danish Court Administration and the Danish Mediation Lawyers
2017: Emotional Intelligence (EQ), the Danish Mediation Institute
2019: Mediation in Business Disputes, Copenhagen Business School
2019: Workshop for experienced mediators, the Danish Mediation Lawyers
MEDIATION PRACTICE:
I have mediated since 2004 and have conducted more than 250 mediations.
I help train new mediators as an external lecturer and instructor at the University of Copenhagen and the Court Administration, etc.
I frequently receive appointments as a mediator from commercial bodies such as
- The Danish Institute of Arbitration
- The Danish Mediation Institute
- The Danish Building and Construction Arbitration Board
- The Danish Maritime and Commercial High Court
- The Danish High Court
- Copenhagen City Court
I also mediate in cases that take place outside of the institutes and through private appointments.
In 2008, I was accepted by the Court of Justice as a mediator and have since then served as a mediator at the Eastern District Courts. Thus, I am continuously appointed as a mediator in pending business litigation.
Consequently, I am one of the most experienced business mediators in Denmark. My focus is on mediation of conflicts in business and ranges from employment litigation to large construction disputes.
My statistics show at settlement rate of 82% in my business mediations.
SELECTION OF TESTIMONIALS RELATING TO MY COMMERCIAL MEDIATIONS:
“I had the pleasure of seeing Benjamin Lundström in the role of mediator in a complicated dispute regarding multi-party insurance contracts. Benjamin managed to create a comfortable atmosphere while at the same time, with “Columbo”-like finesse, he managed to open up issues and relocate locked positions. The case was resolved not least thanks to Benjamin’s efforts, and the experience was that all parties were relief with the conclusion and resolution of the case.”
Peter Dianati, lawyer and mediator
“I am a mediator and I was allowed to participate as an observer in a case where Benjamin Lundström served as a mediator. It is remarkable how 3 years of resource-intensive conflicts can be turned around during one day of mediation with the effect that the parties start to consider constructive solutions. Benjamin guided the parties through a process where trust was established to listen to each other’s experience of the conflict and shifted the focus from “how do I win” to “how can we solve this”. The mediation showed how an expert mediator can help the parties uncover the real issues and find solutions that could not have been laid down by a judge.“
Birgitte Fæster, Legal Manager, The Danish Building Defects Fund
“In a case between two traders, in my capacity as chairman of one party, I had the pleasure of experiencing Benjamin Lundström as a mediator. From the start, both parties probably believed that contractually prescribed mediation was merely a necessary first step to an arbitration case. It went the opposite way; the parties reached a settlement which contained elements that could not have come into play during an arbitration or trial. This can only be attributed to Benjamin’s abilities; impressive empathy, quick understanding of the essence of the case, both parties felt that they were given time to talk and that the mediator was working to get the other party to understand the views without losing objectivity and integrity. Benjamin quickly senses the vibrations in the room and is quick to intervene if the tone gets destructive. Without the help of such a competent, professional mediator with knowledge of business conditions and the ability to get the parties to see new opportunities, we would never have reached our goal.”
Tomas O. Berg, Chairman of the Board
“Benjamin manages to create a safe atmosphere where it is clear that the parties feel very secure despite tensions and locked positions. Although the parties challenge the process, Benjamin does not shy away from the fundamental elements of the mediation process, but with a very competent appearance, his calm form, empathy and persistence, the parties stay on the mediation trail. Benjamin captures the signals that are in the room as soon as they are there and acts very carefully and professionally. It is clear that even parties with longstanding conflicts leave the mediation with a really nice feeling of being heard and treated with the utmost respect. Benjamin is truly an inspiration and a fantastic ambassador for the profession.”
Flemming Fage Sørensen, Special Consultant, Central Association of Stamp Personnel (observer)
“Benjamin Lundström acted as a very competent and trustworthy mediator who in a short time made the parties feel in good hands. The issues were scrutinized, and it was clear that the parties came to understand the counterpart’s point of view as well. This professional management, which was not overly controlling, was, in my opinion, the reason why the mediation ended successfully.”
Pernille Bisgaard, lawyer and mediator
“Benjamin Lundström acted as a very professional mediator in a case, which immediately seemed very locked for both parties involved. Benjamin Lundström managed the process in an extremely comfortable and competent way, where the parties reasonably quickly found a settlement solution, partly because Benjamin Lundström understood how to make the parties feel comfortable in the process right from the start and otherwise understood when to let the parties go separately without this compromising the process. Great to experience the difficult atmosphere in the beginning turned out to be a good result for both parties in the end, thanks to a professional mediator.”
Suzanne T. Estrup, mediator (observer)
“Benjamin Lundström, as a mediator, was able to create a confidential space for everyone involved by exhibiting both the necessary professionalism and empathy. The parties felt in competent hands and were confident in the process, both in relation to dealing with the discrepancies of the past and – when the time came – to be led into a constructive and realistic dialogue about the future. “
Mette Stimpel Stenled, Tryg Forsikring
“As party’s lawyer, I have had the pleasure of experiencing attorney Benjamin Lundström as a competent and professional mediator who is able to facilitate the mediation process with a good sense of timing in respect to joint and separate meetings during the mediation. In concrete terms, he was able to manage the process with good humor and energy without the parties in any way feeling that he was impeding the parties’ self-determination. Where other mediators might have given up, he maintained that the dispute would be resolved through the parties’ own proposals. The day started with rancid words but ended with a hug. After the mediation, my client said that mediation had been a really good experience and that this was probably mainly due to the skilled mediator. I can confirm this”.
Martin Lavesen, Managing Partner, DLA
“I saw Benjamin Lundström as a competent mediator who was able to gather complex facts into comparable issues with which the mediation became a success.”
Hans Dreyer, director, Codan Forsikring A/S
“As an observer, I attended a mediation with Benjamin Lundström as a mediator. Before the meeting began, Benjamin was aware of the room’s appearance. He focused on creating a comfortable atmosphere. Initially it was difficult for the parties to address the problem, but Benjamin in that situation showed great empathy and gave the parties the necessary time. Without impeding the parties’ self-determination and with a competent overview, Benjamin follows the stages of the mediation process. With persistence and respect for the dispute, he makes the parties engage in dialogue. The good tone is also maintained where there was a prelude to a less calm dialogue. The parties agreed on a collaboration, which is to a large extent attributed to Benjamin’s efforts, because he, with integrity and skilled questioning, managed to get the parties to develop suitable solutions. For me, following Benjamin as a mediator was a great inspiration.”
Bente Tærsbøl, Associate Professor and Student Counselor Vejen Business College
“Being in mediation with Benjamin Lundström was like experiencing a living textbook on the reflexive mediation. Few achieve it, but Benjamin does; he really is an artistic practitioner.
I could sit and think about references to Vibeke’s book in pretty much everything Benjamin did. He should make learning video.
I’m really happy that I got to join his mediation as an observer. Maybe Vibeke Vindeløv might think he pushed the process a little too much sometimes, but I don’t think so; the parties needed it. Benjamin was not taking ownership of the conflict at any time, and everyone benefited from the process moving forward.”
Gitte Lind Lyngskjold, Deputy head, Employer Policy Center
MEDIATION ARTICLES, LECTURES AND TEACHING:
2005: Article: Mediation resolves conflict without trial, Iværksætteren, no. 12, February 2005.
2005: Lecture: See you in Court – Not! Rotary Ballerup.
2008: Lecture: Mediation in business disputes, Rotary Charlottenlund.
2008: Instructor: IT mediation education, module 3.
2009: Course instructor at the Court of Justice and the Danish Mediation Lawyer’s course on mediation.
2009: Lecture: Court Mediation in Denmark, Nordic Forum for Mediation and Conflict Management, Reykjavik, Iceland.
2010: Organizer and instructor at the workshop Mediation 2.0, Danish Mediation Lawyers and the Mediation Institute.
2011: Speaking at the conference “Mediation in business disputes”.
2011: Co-author of the book “Conflict management in IT conflicts, mediation as an opportunity”.
2011: Co-organizer and speaker at the Pre-conference on mediation in connection with the Nordic Lawyers Meeting, Stockholm.
2012: Teacher at the Danish Mediation Lawyer’s workshop on mediation for judges and lawyers.
2012: Instructor at the Association of Danish Law Firms’ mediator training (trinity 12).
2012: Instructor at the Mediator Training for Land Inspectors.
2013: Instructor on the Association of Danish Law Firms’ mediator training (trinity 13).
2014: Instructor at the Association of Danish Law Firms’ mediator training (trinity 14).
2014: External lecturer at the Mediator Master’s program at the University of Copenhagen
2014: Teaching in mediation together with Professor Vibeke Vindeløv.
2015: External lecturer at the Mediator Master’s program at the University of Copenhagen.
2015: Instructor at training seminar – Transformative Mediation, Joseph Folger.
2015: Speaker on Business Mediation Day, the Arbitration Institute and the Maritime & Commercial Court.
2015: Instructor at the Association of Danish Law Firms’ mediator training (trinity 15).
2015: Speaker on mediation at Employment Attorney’s seminar on conflicts.
2016: External lecturer at the Mediator Master’s program at the University of Copenhagen.
2017: Instructor at workshop at Copenhagen University’s conference on “Practice & regulation of conflict management”
2018: External lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, Master in Conflict Management and in the course Mediation
2018: Teacher and instructor at the Danish Court Administration’s court mediation education for Judges
2019: External lecturer at the University of Copenhagen, Master in Conflict Management and in the course Mediation
2019: Chronicle in Berlingske Tidende 23 October 2019: “The Danish Court of Justice overlooks the possibilities of mediation”
2019: Contribution to the book “The solution’s labyrinth – lawyers’ experience with mediation”, DJØF Forlag, written by Carsten Juul in collaboration with Thomas Samsø Bloch”
