Commercial mediator Amrik Kandola reappointed to Civil Justice Council for one year

The Lord Chancellor has reappointed commercial mediator Amrik Kandola, a former Eversheds Sutherland partner who specialised in construction and engineering disputes, as a non-judicial member of the Civil Justice Council for one year from 1 January 2027.

The Ministry of Justice and the Civil Justice Council (CJC) announced the reappointment on 22 October 2026. Kandola was first appointed as the council's Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) member in a round of six appointments announced on 5 February 2024, for three years from 1 January 2024.

His one-year extension is shorter than the terms given to four of the other members appointed in that January 2024 round. John Cuss, Sue Prince, Laurence Shaw and Elizabeth Smart were reappointed on 10 July 2026 for three years from 1 January 2027, according to GOV.UK. Neither announcement gives a reason for the difference.

Construction disputes background

Kandola joined Eversheds LLP, now Eversheds Sutherland LLP, as a trainee in 1991 and became a partner in 2002, according to the Ministry of Justice. He sat on the firm's board from 2011 to 2014 and specialised in technology, engineering, construction and energy infrastructure disputes.

He left private practice in 2016 to mediate full time and has since handled complex, high-value and multi-party disputes across a range of commercial sectors, the ministry said.

The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), on whose panel he is listed, describes him as having more than 30 years' experience in dispute resolution, with a focus that includes construction, engineering, infrastructure and technology disputes. CEDR says the disputes he has mediated have ranged in value from tens of thousands of pounds to hundreds of millions.

He is a CEDR Panel Mediator and Lead Faculty Trainer and has received the Civil/Commercial Mediator of the Year award, the ministry said. CEDR's panel comprises more than 150 accredited mediators across more than 70 countries.

The council's role

The CJC is a statutory advisory body set up under the Civil Procedure Act 1997. Its statutory function is to review the civil justice system, and it advises the government, the judiciary, the Rule Committee and others on how civil justice can be made more accessible, fair and efficient. It can recommend changes and propose research.

Its membership draws together the judiciary, civil servants, legal professionals and others representing perspectives from across the civil justice system, according to the ministry. GOV.UK's organisation page describes the council as responsible for overseeing and co-ordinating the modernisation of the civil justice system.

Non-judicial members are appointed by the Lord Chancellor and regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. The ministry said Kandola's reappointment complies with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.

Recent appointments

The reappointment follows a wider refresh of the council's membership this year. Seven new members were appointed for three years from 23 January 2026, in an announcement published on 30 April 2026. They included Tim Sawyer as Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises member, Jane Portas as Insurance member, Nigel Teasdale as Solicitor member and Andrew Brookes as Housing member.

Kandola's new term starts on 1 January 2027 and runs to the end of that year.