Jenny Sanders – Director

Accredited Mediator

I worked as a family solicitor in both Oxfordshire and Dorset for more than 20 years before becoming a full-time family mediator in 2013 and setting up Gateway Family Mediation. I had qualified as a family mediator in 2001 becoming a Resolution accredited family mediator shortly afterwards. I am qualified to directly consult with children within the mediation process should it be appropriate to do so.

In 2010 I qualified as a Mediation Professional Practice Consultant. This means I am qualified to offer supervision services for other mediators.

As a mediator recognised by the Legal Aid Agency I am able to provide mediation funded by legal aid.

I continue to be a member of Resolution, the organisation commited to non-adversorial family litigation and putting families first. I remain a member of the Law Society family mediation panel. I am also a member of the Family Mediators Association. All three groups are members of the Family Mediation Council. In addition, I belong to the local group of solicitor mediators, Phoenix Mediation.

In my spare time I enjoy reading, writing, walking and cooking.

I can be contacted on jks@gatewaymediation.co.uk.

Harriet Harris

Accredited Mediator

Originally from London, I began my legal career in Salisbury, moving to Oxford when I qualified as a solicitor. I moved to the Dorset area 4 years ago and haven’t looked back!

I have practised as a family law solicitor for more than 20 years.

I qualified as a Resolution all issues mediator 4 years ago. I therefore have a wealth of experience in dealing with all aspects of relationship breakdown.

I have always had a keen interest in trying to resolve difficulties between separated partners and families in as constructive a way as possible, bearing in mind not only the legal aspects but also the emotional and practical elements of separation. Mediation is a useful forum within which to try to resolve issues and I strive to work with clients to help them with this.

I am a committed member of Resolution: First for Family Law (www.resolution.org.uk), having sat on the committee in Oxfordshire for many years. Whilst in Oxfordshire, I was also very involved in dealing with issues arising out of domestic abuse. I am an active member of a local lawyer/mediator group, www.phoenix–mediation.co.uk and continue to practice family law as a Consultant in West Dorset.

My spare time is taken up with cheering my two sons on at the football touchlines on a regular basis, long walks in the Dorset countryside and any time I can find to spend on the beach.

I can be contacted at hjh@gatewaymediation.co.uk.

Chantal Findlay

Accredited Mediator

I am an accredited mediator with the Family Mediation Council and am also a family lawyer, having practiced in the Bournemouth/Poole area for 15 years. I am a member of Resolution. My expertise covers separation, divorce, financial matters and children related issues within both married and unmarried families. I am also qualified to carry out child-inclusive mediations. These offer children the opportunity to have their voice heard within the mediation process should this be appropriate. 

I appreciate that every person is unique with their own individual circumstances, background and concerns. I understand that consulting a mediator and navigating the process of separation can be daunting and often painful. I have recently qualified as a humanistic counsellor which enables me to sensitively deal with the emotional impact on individuals during challenging times – whether this is separation, divorce or navigating parental differences. I believe this awareness combined with my legal skills enables me to mediate very effectively and to help clients feel supported during difficult times.

I have 2 young children and like books, people and sunshine.

I can be contacted at clf@gatewaymediation.co.uk.

Lisa Holden

Accredited Mediator

I am a mediator with the Family Mediation Council and also a family lawyer, having practiced in the Dorset area for 25 years either in partnership or heading up the family department. I am recognised on the Law Society’s Family Law Panel and am an accredited specialist with Resolution for complex financial issues and children issues. I am a member of Resolution. My area of expertise includes divorce, separation, financial matters and children issues with married and unmarried families.

I qualified as a mediator in 2009 and am an accredited mediator with Resolution.

I have many years’ experience of working with families and recognise that no family is the same and that everyone needs to have a voice and have the opportunity of being heard. I enjoy working with people to help them reach a better understanding of their circumstances and find a solution that enables them to move forward with their lives.

In my spare time I enjoy painting, reading, walking and cooking.

I can be contacted at lih@gatewaymediation.co.uk.

Gemma Burden

Accredited Mediator

I qualified as a solicitor in 2000, and practiced in family law until 2009 when I qualified as a family mediator. Since then I have spent all of my working time specialising in family mediation work because my passion lies in helping separating couples take control of their future by working on agreed solutions and future plans, rather than having the expense, stress and delay of court proceedings.

I worked for 24 years in a Bournemouth based law firm, and was the partner in charge of the mediation department there for 15 years, before joining the team at Gateway in 2024.

I am a member of the Family Mediators Association and am a Family Mediation Council Accredited Mediator, which means that I am able to conduct Mediation Information and Assessment Meetings (MIAMs) and sign court applications to confirm compliance with pre court protocols.

I am also qualified in Child Inclusive Mediation, having gained that qualification in 2010. Child Inclusive Mediation gives children a voice independent from their parents and can often help parents come up with arrangements that align with their child’s wishes and feelings and well as helping a child feel listened to and understood.

I am part way through training to be a counsellor because I recognise that separation is as much about an emotional journey as it is a legal one. Counselling skills are proving invaluable in complementing my legal knowledge, to ensure that my clients benefit from the right balance of both experience and understanding.

Outside of work, I am a mum of two children who are now young adults, and live with them, my partner John, and our dog, Molly. I am a member of a local club where I get to run, swim and cycle, and I balance those activities with regular yoga and Pilates classes. I love being at the beach, camping, walking the dog and gardening. Essentially, when I am not working, I just love to be outdoors in nature where I feel calm and grounded.

I can be contacted at gmb@gatewaymediation.co.uk.