Psychology can contribute substantially to the practice of law as it provides insights into how people think, feel, behave, what motivates them and how they arrive at decisions – particularly to contentious matters, as any dispute involves strategic considerations and making choices based on communication, negotiation, persuasion and conflict resolution.

Moreover, in circumstances when many disputes settle before reaching trial or a final hearing, applying psychological tools in the right way can help in reaching a settlement at an earlier stage and with a better (and less costly) result for the litigants.

The issue can become more pronounced when a client or their opponent(s) is / are domiciled outside the UK. Very often, they will have had a very different experience dealing with disputes, and understanding their mind-set is vital to managing the dispute efficiently.