Qualification Path

Category 1: NMI (NMI Certified Mediator)

Dutch

English

German

Current Position & Background

Guus Bax serves as a Mediator specialized in local, regional and national administration and governmental administration matters. He is a member of the Dutch Mediation Institute (NMI) and also a member of the Dutch Mediators Association (NMv). Mr. Bax is a certified public government mediator and certified family mediator residing in the province of Friesland.

Since 1976 he is continuously involved in police or municipal government with regular and alternative dispute resolution.
The last 15 years he has been an (interim-) manager and policymaker at municipal governments all over the country.

He is now concentrating on his main interests as a successful commercial mediator. Even so he is still working part time for the small municipality Skarsterlân as a socio-economic policymaker. He has direct and frequent contacts with local authorities, politicians and of course with entrepreneurs. He knows their interests and speaks their language. In complex disputes, conflicts and quarrels he is the right man to strengthen communication and improve negotiations.

Main Mediation Practice Areas

Mediation - Guus Bax mediates within and between all kinds of authorities, inside authorities, citizens or entrepeneurs.

Pre-mediation, in the Netherlands known as the approach Overijssel. - Guus Bax acts in that case as representative of the (local or regional) government together with a subject matter expert. As soon as a complaint or objection lodges with the government he investigates the possibilities for preventing escalation or unnecessary juridicial concern.

Citizen-centered. Guus Bax develops and accompanies the implementation of citizen-centered policies.
The Dutch Government has a policy that is citizen-centered. All the local and regional administrations try to imitate this policy in their own way. It is a change of focus from laws to interests. This change requires new skills on different levels in an organizations.

Mediation Experience

In 2003 Guus Bax started a study to be mediator and at the same time he started working as a co-mediator. Since 2005 he is a NMI-registered mediator. In 2007 he reached the highest level and became a DNV NMI certified mediator, which made it possible to work for the district- and appealcourt. In 2008 he started working for the county court of Leeuwarden, first only as a family mediator, later on also as a public government mediator. In 2010 Guus succeeded the study by Juripax and became a Certified Online Mediator.

Mediation Style

Guus Bax' mediation style is facilitative. He has a strong focus on the mediation process and concentrates less on the contents of the dispute. The years of experience, the knowledge and the awareness of the governments are used to model and optimize the process. Avoiding pitfalls and early recognize tricks on both sides without conscious perception can regulate the process.

Code of Ethical Conduct

IMI Code of Professional Conduct
NMI Code of Professional Conduct (NMI gedragsregels voor de NMI Mediator)

Complaints Process

NMI Professional Conduct Assessment Process (Klachtenregeling NMI)

Professional Indemnity Insurance

AON Insurance by Fortis Corporate Insurance N.V.
insurance number 74/66.145.480 NMv, certificate 260.

Professional Insurance Coverage; € 500.000,00 per claim
Professional Insurance Coverage; € 1.000.000,00 a year
Busisness Insurance Coverage; € 1.250.000,00 per claim
Busisness Insurance Coverage; € 2.500.000,00 a year

Feedback Digest

Reviewer: Fred Menkveld ( fred@menkveldmaarssen.nl )
Latest Update: 17 Oct 2011 15:08

MEDIATOR: Mr. G.Z. (Guus) Bax

REVIEWER: Fred Menkveld

fred@menkveldmaarssen.nl
Last Update: Monday 17th October 2011

This Feedback Digest is based on [number of] feedbacks in [number of] mediations initially submitted on Saturday 18th April 2009.


-- Current feedback content --
MEDIATOR: Mr. G.Z. (Guus) Bax

REVIEWER: mrs Dianne Kroezen
lawyer/mediator
kroezen@woudegraaf.nl
Last Update: Wednesday 30th June 2010


This Feedback Digest is based on 27 feedbacks during the past 12 months (February 2009 – January 2010).

A large part (85 %) of the parties for whom mr Bax has acted as a mediator have consistently declared to be (very) content, when it comes to his impartiality. Also how he leads the mediation was declared by more then 88 % as (very) satisfying. About his accuracy almost all the parties (93 %) declared to be (very) content.

From the feedbacks of the parties that have experienced mr Bax as a mediator is therefor evidently to be concluded, that again (just like in 2008/2009) his accuracy is his key strength.

From the 27 parties that were asked to give their feedback about mr Bax, more then half of them (63 %) were also (very) satisfied about the result of the mediation.

Mr Bax has proven to be a mediator with very strong skills when it comes to being able to listen to the parties. His second key strengh is his ability to use the emotions of the clients in a constructive way in the mediation. Because of these skills he’s able to talk about the (real) interests of the parties and he’s able to look below the surface of the conflict.

Also after being in a legal procedure and being referred towards mediation by the court, a very high percentage of the parties declared to be (very) content about the skills of mr Bax, when it comes to his above mentioned skills (impartiality, how he leads the mediation and his accuracy).

Most of the parties recommend mediation to others after being with mr Bax as a mediator in a mediationprocess. The time and the costs involved with the mediation were considered by 75 % of these parties as being reasonable.

Only one negative comment has arisen in the past calendar year, but this was explained by the complainant as the result of the negative attitude of the other party and not the result of the skills of mr Bax.

Reported on June 30 2010,
by Dianne J.I. Kroezen,
vFAS- and NMI(certified)mediator in the Netherlands
Willemsparkweg 31
1071 GP Amsterdam
Tel.:0031 20 676 66 90
Fax: 0031 20 676 66 95
E-mail: kroezen@woudegraaf.nl



This Feedback Digest is based on [number of] feedbacks in [number of] mediations initially submitted on Saturday 18th April 2009.


-- Current feedback content --
This Feedback Digest is based on 20 feedbacks during the past 12 months.

Parties for whom Mr Bax has acted as a mediator have consistently declared to be content to very content, when it comes to his impartiality. Also how he leads the mediation was declared as satisfying or even very satisfying.

His accuracy was even declared even more satisfying. His skills for organising, explaining and preparing for the mediation was reported by approximately 90 % of the parties to be (very) content. From the feedbacks of the parties that have experienced Mr Bax as a mediator is therefor evidently to be concluded, that his accuracy is his key strength.

Mr Bax has developed himself to be a mediator with especially very strong skills when it comes to being able to listen to the parties very well and also being patient during the mediation where that’s necessary. His second key strengh is his ability to take the time for talking about the present emotions of the parties and his ability to use that in a constructive way in the mediation. Because of these skills he’s able to talk about the (real) interests that are behind the emotions of the parties.

Also after being in a legal procedure and being referred towards mediation by the court, a very high percentage of the parties declared to be content and very content about the skills of Mr Bax, when it comes to his impartiality, how he leads the mediation and his accuracy.

A high percentage of the parties would recommend mediation after being with Mr Bax as an mediator in a mediation process. The costs of the mediation were considered by a very large part of these parties as being reasonable. A very high percentage of satisfaction was reported by these parties.

Also a very large percentage of the parties that have experienced Mr Bax as a mediator reported the length and the outcome of the mediation as being satisfying or even very satisfying.

No reportable negative comments have arisen in the past calendar year.

Reported on April 21 2009,
by Dianne J.I. Kroezen,
vFAS- and NMI(registered) mediator in the Netherlands
Willemsparkweg 31
1071 GP Amsterdam
Tel.:0031 20 676 66 90
Fax: 0031 20 676 66 95
E-mail: kroezen@woudegraaf.nl


.......................................................................................................


Feedback Digest
Reviewer: Fred Menkveld





Maarssen, 7 juli 2011

Concerning : Mediator mr. G.Z. Bax


In order to give a review Mr. Bax has issued 72 evaluationforms, based on 36 mediations which he has conducted in the period from februari 2009 until may 2011.

Based on these evaluationforms, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. Approximately half of the participants did not have prior knowledge about mediation as such. A slight majority of the participants took part in the mediation on recommendation from their lawyer or from the court.
2. About 60% of the participants expected to reach a better solution by way of mediation then by way of a lawsuit.
3. About 20% of the participants chose for mediation in stead of a lawsuit because it is cheaper. This means that for about 80% of the participants the possible (serious) difference in costs is not an argument in favor of mediations.
4. About 80% of the participants opted for mediation in order to improve the future relation with the opposite party.

My conclusion is that the mediation-participants who found their way to mr. Bax, though about average informed before about mediation as such, nevertheless chose to participate in the mediation because after explaining to them what mediation is and can be, they are interested in mediation in order to improve the future relation. Being cheaper than a lawsuit does not seam to count very much.

More specific in relation to mr. Bax as their mediator, the following conclusions can be drawn:

5. About the accuracy of mr. Bax acting as their mediator, the evaluationforms show that of the 72 participants only 1 is (or better: was ) very unsatisfied and 1 was unsatisfied. This means that 96% of the participants was satisfied or very satisfied about the accurady of mr. Bax as their mediator.
6. Concerning the length of the mediation 7 participants are not satisfied, which means that 90% was satisfied or very satisfied about the length of the mediation performed by mr. Bax.
7. The impartiality of mr. Bax is no point of discussion, only 3 participants stated to be unsatisfied about his impartiality, more than 90% of the participants is satisfied and convinced of the impartiality of mr. Bax.
8. Finally, the result of the mediations. About 7% of the participants is very unsatisfied about the result of the mediation, about 12% is unsatisfied. About 19% is nor satisfied nor unsatisfied, the vast majority of 62% is satisfied or very satisfied.

In short this means that the participants are very convinced about the accuracy of mr. Bax as a mediator and about his impartiality. The time needed for the mediation is well within limits. About the results the reader of this review may and can make their own conclusions. My conclusion is that mr. Bax is a very experienced mediator who is capable to lead the majority of his mediations to a positive result although a majority of the participants took part in the mediations (only) on recommendation. The facts and the numbers prove his skills.


Yours sincerely,


Mr. F.E.J. Menkveld
vFAS-mediator
certified NMI-mediator
lawyer
Office: Dingemans Advocaten
Raadhuisstraat 31
3603 AV Maarssen
Tel: +31346284944
Fax: +31346284063
Email: menkveld@dingemansadvocaten.nl

Professional Affiliations

Guus Bax is a DNV certified member of the NMI (Dutch Mediation Institute) and the NMv (Dutch Mediators Association).

Fee Rate

A typical total fee for a two-party commercial case of average weight would be € 1.250,- per day, to include reasonable preparation, with an additionally hourly rate of € 185,- after 6 pm. VAT / BTW (Belasting Toegevoegde Waarde) is added where applicable

Mediation Education and Training

Training and research is a big part of Guus' practice and he has taken advanced in several advanced courses. Guus started with a specialized mediation course at the Academy of Leiden (HL).
After succeeding for his legal exams he followed a training at the Merlijn Groep for his DNV certification.
Later on he specialized by the MeditorsCollectief for divorce mediation and he followed a masterclass by Sdu Juridische Opleidingen for ADR with public government. (Conflict met de overheid).
After a study by Juripax Guus did qualify himself as online mediator.

Besides of this Guus studied at the Academy of Public Government and became bachelor as policy maker. He also studied at the Academy of Haarlem and became bachelor as social worker. Guus studied at the Academy of Rotterdam (Rijnmond) and became master of management, policy and organisation.

In his younger years he studied at the police academy and became police officer and intelligence officer at the secret service.

Mediation Teaching and Mentoring

On Oct.14 2010 Guus Bax organized a conference special for judges and other representives of the county'court and the appeal court of Leeuwarden and represeantants of the local authority's about "are raised objections against a decision of a local authority and appeals suitabel for mediation?". Speakers were, besites Guus Bax, the president of the appealcourt Mr Daan Keur and also the chairman of the section adminitrative law of the countycourt Mr Arnoud Kwaasteniet and the chairman of the committee of objections of the municipallity of Skarsterlân Mr Jur Deckers.