Working it out - the benefits of mediation in family disputes

Does mediation mean much to the private client solicitor?  How often is it used as a tool for providing the best service to private clients?  Possibly not that much.  There is a tendance to think of mediation as part of the litigation process. However, a real benefit of mediation in a private client context is that you can use it to prevent problems escalating into litigation. Andrew Hildebrand sets out the benefits of mediation for private clients in a recent article for the Law Society's Private Client magazine.