MEDIATION TODAY

Kristy ELLIOTT

I am excited to say that today’s episode addresses a topic we haven’t touched till now: mediation in our schools. But, let me first say a few words about my guest.

Kristy completed a Bachelor of Education in 2000, followed by a Masters in applied positive psychology. As founder and director of Restorative Pathways, Kristy supports schools to create relational, thriving school cultures using the science of wellbeing, and restorative approaches to relationship management.

My guest in Mediation Today is Dr Samantha HARDY.  

Samantha holds a PhD in Law and Conflict Resolution, as well as other postgraduate qualifications in education.

She has been accredited as a mediator under the Australian National Mediation System and is a Certified Transformative Mediator by the US Institute of Conflict Transformation. 

She is a Certified Narrative Coach Practitioner, an experienced conflict coach and the founder of the REAL Conflict Coaching System.

Anna has three decades of experience in conflict management and has in depth knowledge of the range of processes including Restorative Justice facilitation, and a special interest in coaching and supervision. 

Anna is a Resolution Institute Fellow, a leading trainer in the field in New Zealand (Lead Trainer with Resolution Institute), an experienced mediator, facilitator and supervisor in the areas of education, community, workplace, family disputes and commercial issues. 

Anna lives in Auckland with her family and is an avid cyclist, walker and ocean swimmer. The interview touches on each of these towards the end of the podcast episode.

Lara BISHKOV is a lawyer and mediator from Sydney, NSW, Australia. She was admitted as a legal practitioner in 1994 after graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Economics. Lara has practised across State and Federal Courts as a litigator, representing national clients and NSW and Commonwealth Government agencies, providing legal and claims management advice.

Lara’s natural interest in litigation and systems for dispute resolution drew her towards mediation. In 2012 Lara trained as a Mediator and became accredited under the National Mediator Accreditation System through the Law Society of New South Wales.

Lara’s mediation clients range from multinational corporations, residential colleges, private entities and she was appointed as a sessional Mediator to the Personal Injury Commission of NSW in 2022.

Nina Harding was named Australian Mediator of the Year 2022 at the recent Australasian Law Awards. Nina has over 25 years experience in resolving business and public interest disputes. Nina is a law graduate and has a Master of Laws.  She has mediated over 2,500 disputes.  Nina is a nationally accredited Mediator and a recognised expert in the area of dispute resolution. In addition to mediating disputes, Nina facilitates large meetings and also teaches Mediation, Dispute Resolution and Complaint Handling workshops.  She regularly speaks at conferences and has taught thousands of people how to negotiate more effectively and resolve conflict.  Nina Harding has lectured at numerous universities in Australia and overseas.

Elizabeth is the Principal of Resolve-at-Work and a Nationally Accredited Mediator.

Elizabeth has a background as a lawyer, practising in insurance litigation, workers compensation and employment law. She currently lectures at the College of Law in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution and has previously lectured at UNSW in Resolving Civil Disputes.

She has conducted numerous mediations and facilitations for a variety of organisations including major Australian corporates, hospitals, universities, schools, government departments and councils.

Elizabeth runs professional development workshops for mediators throughout Australia and New Zealand, including the workshop titled "How to run a Workplace Mediation."

Her website Resolve at Work provides regular blogs on workplace disputes.

JULIA BARLING

Julia is a lawyer by profession and has been practising law for almost 20 years. Most of her professional life has been spent working with people in conflict. She has worked in private law firms and also in the public sector, with Victoria Legal Aid, over the course of her career.

During COVID Julia used her complete lack of social life to throw herself into her mediation / FDR training and by the start of 2021 she was an NMAS qualified mediator and a registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner. The initial plan was to incorporate mediation work into her family law practice, but it soon became clear to her that her passion was really in sorting things out, rather than litigation.

MY GUEST: BOBBY REILLY, Mediator, Gold Coast, Queensland, AUSTRALIA

Bobbi is a Nationally Accredited Mediator, accredited with the Australian Mediation Association since 2010. She is also a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner and provides a wide range of services including FDR/ADR services, Life Coaching and Executive Coaching, General Counselling, Clinical Supervision to Mediators, Counsellors and Coaches and also provides Training and Coaching to her fellow Mediators, Counsellors and Coaches.

Bobbi’s professional mediation career stems from a variety of work experiences starting from being a Program Coordinator for the Telephone Dispute Resolution Services back in 2007-2012, through Coordinated Family Dispute Resolution, Relationships Australia and CentaCare, before starting her own business, Gold Coast Mediation and Counselling. FIND OUT MORE AT https://gcmediation.com.au

In today’s episode I am chatting with Ros Lockley, a trainer, mediator and coach.

Ros is a trainer, mediator and coach living on the outskirts of Canberra, regional NSW. She is also a mother of four children.

Growing up on a farm outside of Cootamundra, NSW, Australia, and her mother dying when she was only 9 years old, Ros wanted training in parenting to help her to parent confidently. It was through wanting to discipline her children without damaging the relationship she has with them that she found Parent Effectiveness Training (or P.E.T.).

After working with many parents who feel the same way, she realises that we all have experiences in life that lead to wanting to improve our parenting and communication skills. ‘After all,’ she says, ‘we would get training for any job we do, and parenting is the most important job we ever do as we are raising the next generation.’

Iveta Bales is the Founder of Canberra Mediation Centre. She is also a proud co-founder of The Kind Lawyers. She is a born and bred Canberran and has spent her working life specialising in working with couples who are separating, both as a Lawyer and a Mediator.

Iveta works with clients to structure and restructure their family and their finances both at the beginning and at the end of their relationships. She is innovative and practical with her approach to legal and family issues.

Iveta’s key focus is on keeping conflict to a minimum and ensuring that solutions are tailored to her clients’ needs. Iveta’s practice is holistic and she collaborates with other professionals to ensure that clients have a ‘complete package.’

CLAIRE NAIDU

Claire Naidu is the founder and principal of the legal firm Claire Naidu and Co, situated in the Canberra town centre of Gungahlin. It was founded in 2012 to assist individuals, families, businesses, organisations and communities to improve life experience, relationships, transition through changes, and to improve connection. They have grown to become nationally and internationally recognised.

A list of her achievements, skills and interests is impressive. Claire is a: 

Qualified Mediator

Arbitrator

Relationship Specialist

Relationships Lawyer

Accredited Family Law Specialist

Conflict Resolution Coach

Relationships Coach

Mentor/Coach

Bling Angel

Speaker and Writer.

Claire also gifts her time to various community activities, for example through the ACT Law Society Legal Advice Bureau, The Children’s Playground Project, contributions to Marymead, Salvation Army and a number of other volunteering activities.

In today’s episode my guest is Josephine BYRNES-LUNA, a mediator and counsellor from Sydney. Hello Josephine and thank you for accepting my invitation for this interview.

Josephine is the owner Achieving Solutions Counselling and Mediation Services, which she commenced in 2007 and now has a base office in Camden SW Sydney and occasionally in the Sydney CBD.

Josephine has been working in the counselling space, particularly with relationships, children, parenting and families; since the inception of her practice. After completing collaborative law training in the family law area and then becoming a nationally accredited mediator, she began focusing more on the family law, and towards resolutions particularly with parenting plans and parenting arrangements.

Josephine has a focus on the family and children’s needs and works with families to encourage harmony in the process and the inclusion of children’s voices where it is possible.

In todays episode, I am thrilled to introduce to you JOLENE HILL. No, Jolene is not a mediator, but she does something that every mediator should be very aware of: the importance of listening. The importance of allowing a person to talk. To say what they really wish to say.

Jolene is a creator of YOUR LIFE TALKS, a program through which she encourages people to share their life stories. 

In her signature talk, ‘Your Story Matters’, Jolene shares why she was inspired to create Your Life Talks, with a mission to raise community awareness of the importance of initiating meaningful conversations within families, to recognize our intrinsic need to remember and celebrate our life and achievements.

Greg Rooney 

Greg has been a practising mediator in Australia since 1991. He has mediated more than 1,500 disputes in a diverse range of conflicts including multi-party disputes involving government institutions, commercial and industrial disputes, agricultural disputes, franchise disputes, matrimonial disputes and disputes involving conflict in the workplace. Greg has served a six-year term as a Director of the Mediator Standards Board that regulates the Australian National Mediation Accreditation Scheme. He has since 2004 conducted over 200 face-to-face meetings between religious and military leaders and individual survivors of sexual abuse in religious, government institutions and orphanages as well as abuse within the Australian Defence Forces. He has lectured in mediation, dispute system design and project Alliancing in a number of Australian universities, including the University of Queensland and Southern Cross University. Greg has conducted dispute resolution training for a number of public and private Australian institutions. He has conducted mediation training and retreats in Australia, Europe, Asia and North America. He together with colleagues Margaret Ross and Barbara Wilson run annual mediation retreats in Tuscany, Italy. He has published papers on a number of mediation-based topics in a number of national and international journals copies of which can be downloaded from his web site Papers - Greg Rooney Website: www.gregrooney.com.au 

LOUISE MATHIAS

Louise Mathias calls herself an ‘Ambassador For Ambition’ She is an advanced trained mediator, a multidisciplinary barrister and High Performance Coach and Consultant, and she’ll tell us more about it shortly.

Louise became a lawyer in 2010 and went to the Bar in 2012. After a cancer diagnosis in 2014, she had an epiphany as to what was most important in her life and the direction she would now head in. She appreciated, that in addition to legal skills, there are other essential skills to get optimal results more often while having more fun in conflict resolution, leadership, life and practice.  When I approached her for this interview, Louise told me ‘I’m not your ordinary barrister’ – which made me be even more curious.

Louise coaches lawyers, leaders and doctors to Discover Their Most Powerful Assets, To Skyrocket Their Confidence, with the Total High Performance Blueprint, The Confident Lawyer programs and Consults for organisations with the Daring Leadership Method.

She is an experienced mediator trained in the gold standard Harvard negotiation style. She specialises in family law, family provisions, institutional abuse and medical negligence cases.

Dear Listeners

In today’s episode, I’ve decided to interview a person who is a mediator in a number of areas we have not touched or discussed much so far: business, finance, accounting, management, property and elder mediation. It’s my pleasure to present to you Dennis TERRACINI, Proprietor of 'Mediation with Purpose'.

His areas of expertise include:

In demand as a specialist Mediator (Businesses, Families and Individuals)

· Commenced with The Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia (IAMA) – 2013

· Practitioner’s Certificate in Mediation - 2013

· Professional Membership of the Resolution Institute

· Special interest in Finance, Property and Elder Mediation

· Financial Abuse Awareness Certification (FBAA) - 2019

Enjoy!

Vesna Cvjeticanin

NMAS Mediator

Producer, Mediation Today

This is the second part of my interview with Dr Dale Bagshaw, in which she talks about the importance of Elder Mediation, why it is different from other types of mediation and how we could best practice in this field.

I thank Dr Bagshaw for her time and for sharing her wisdom.

Vesna Cvjeticanin

Lawyer, NMAS Accredited Mediator

Creator and Producer of Mediation Today

Dr Dale Bagshaw is an accredited Elder Mediation practitioner and an academic, who leads the work in the elder mediation and ageing sectors. Her work has been dedicated to all aspects of alternative dispute resolution in the area of ageing for many years now. As a Nationally Accredited Mediator, Dale combines her extensive academic work and expertise with a love of Elder Mediation and a well-recognised desire to educate and train others to work in this sector. Her academic background enables Dale to understand the underlying challenges that face practitioners of any profile who decide to work with ageing issues and older population.

Dale is a nationally and internationally accredited mediator and has been a member of the international Association for Conflict Resolution since it was formed.

There is an impressive list of achievements, recognitions and awards that our guest has received throughout her distinguished career. Over the past few years, Dale has been awarded a number of awards, to mention only some:

- In 2019, she was a recipient of the Association for Conflict Resolution's John Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award which is presented annually by the Association for Conflict Resolution in the US

- the Michael Klug Award by the Board of LEADR for her innovation and national leadership in the dispute resolution field (2014);

- in 2015 was awarded the Resolution Institute’s Practitioner Award for development and mentoring of dispute resolution practitioners…

Liz KEOGH - Biographical notes

Liz told us this abut herself...

"...Helping separated families has been the centre of my professional life, but my role in the family law system has (like my musical taste!) been quite diverse.

I started my professional career as a lawyer, working in the family law team within a generalist practice.  I spent 10 years working as a family lawyer, working in all the ‘main’ areas of family law, but also with a niche practice in surrogacy, donor conception and adoption. During this decade I also had a brief foray into the public service where   I worked as a policy officer in the branch of the Department of Family and Community Services responsible for Parenting Payment policy and as a legal officer in the Attorney-General’s Department (where I was fortunate to be involved in the establishment of the fabulous interdisciplinary Family Law Pathways Networks).

During the time that I was working as a lawyer I also founded and ran a grassroots lobby group (Good Process) which represented the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex community of Canberra during a period of major legislative reform in Canberra, including the removal of discrimination against same sex families in adoption, surrogacy and donor conception legislation.

In 2011 I made a big shift into academia.  I worked at the ANU College of Law for 9 years.  My main teaching responsibility was in the Family Law elective of the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice, but I also taught in Family Law, ethics and clinical legal programs in the LLB and JD programs.  In my teaching role I had a particular focus on developing highly authentic simulated learning environments which were designed to help students develop skills in managing the emotional dimension of family law work. There was a small research component to my academic role, which included being part of a research team investigating the s60I certificate process in family law mediation.

My career as a mediator and family dispute resolution practitioner (FDRP) began in 2016.  I initially combined this with an ongoing role as an academic (part-time positions at the ANU and as an FDRP at the Canberra Family Relationships Centre (FRC)).  I also had a very small private practice (Keogh Mediation) running from late 2016.  In early 2020 I decided to give Keogh Mediation the opportunity to grow fully and resigned my positions at both the ANU and the FRC.

These days I have a lovely diverse mix of roles.  In addition to private clients who I assist through Keogh Mediation I also provide mediation services as a member of Legal Aid ACT’s Family Dispute Resolution Conference Panel and as a Sessional Registrar at the Family Court and Federal Circuit Court.  I am also lucky to have a small piece of teaching back in the mix as I work as an oral assessor within the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice program provided by the College of Law..."

Elizabeth is the Principal of Resolve-at-Work and a Nationally Accredited Mediator.

Elizabeth has a background as a lawyer, practising in insurance litigation, workers compensation and employment law. She currently lectures at the College of Law in Negotiation and Dispute Resolution and has previously lectured at UNSW in Resolving Civil Disputes.

She has conducted numerous mediations and facilitations for a variety of organisations including major Australian corporates, hospitals, universities, schools, government departments and councils.

Elizabeth runs professional development workshops for mediators throughout Australia and New Zealand, including the workshop titled "How to run a Workplace Mediation."

DANIELLE TOLD ME THIS ABOUT HERSELF...

"...I am the Principal of Little Estate Lawyers. My firm operates across Queensland and New South Wales focusing on estate administration, estate litigation and estate planning.

I have concentrated my expertise in Wills and estates since 2015. Prior to starting my own practice, I worked in a large multi-national law firm where I gained extensive experience in practice management and a range of complex estate litigation and administration matters.

I provide sensible straightforward advice and solutions to clients regarding their matters. I am passionate about providing exceptional client service. I have an interest in capacity matters and educating people outside of the successional law area on capacity issues.

I am also a nationally accredited Mediator and I have a mediation practice called Little Legal Mediation.  I have participated in many mediations over the years, not only in my estates practice but prior to this when I worked in personal injuries.

I started working in law around 20 years ago and as I progressed through my legal career, I decided to study law while working full time. While I completed my last couple of subjects in my Bachelor of Laws at QUT, I was also undertaking my PLT program at the College of Law.

I was admitted as a lawyer in Queensland in 2014. I opened Little Estate Lawyers in October 2018 while undertaking my masters. In September 2019, I completed a Masters of Applied Law specialising in Wills and Estates. Just to add an additional challenge, I undertook a mediation course and in December 2019 to become a nationally accredited Mediator.

In my spare time, I like catching up with family and friends. I enjoy keeping fit and I love a nice red wine..."

Dr David MOORE

David Moore is one of Australia’s leaders in the area of restorative justice. He has been involved with Australia’s restorative justice movement since the pilot program of group conferencing in NSW in the early 1990s. David has taught at several universities, worked in a Premier’s Department, trained facilitators and helped establish evaluated programs around Australia, North America, the UK and Scandinavia. In recent years, David has been a principal advisor to the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce and National Redress Scheme. He is the President of the Association for Restorative Justice, based in Victoria.

The Australian Association for Restorative Justice (AARJ) is a Professional Association of individuals and organisations working with restorative justice and restorative practices.

AARJ promotes effective decision-making, dispute resolution, and conflict management to restore right relations in justice systems and in educational, work, faith, and residential communities – indeed, wherever people are seeking fairer, safer ways to heal harm and to promote individual and community well-being. The Association works to:

• support regional restorative practice networks;
• promote restorative practices in specific professions;
• develop restorative practice skills;
• provide convenor accreditation;
• refine restorative practice standards;
• foster effective public policy.

Debra PARKER - PARKER COLES CURTIS, Canberra

Debra is a director of Family Law practice in her legal firm Parker Coles Curtis in Canberra. Debar is an award winning family lawyer in Canberra. She has been recognised as pre-eminent in family law in the ACT and a leading lawyer in mediation in the ACT by the Doyle’s national lawyers guide and is a finalist in the Lawyers Weekly Partner of the Year in the categories of Family Law and Mediation for 2021. Good luck for the Finals, Debra!

Debra began practising in family law over thirty years ago and quickly became recognised as a leader in the field. Debra became the first female partner of a large Canberra firm at a very young age and gained an excellent professional reputation. This was recognised by her appointments to the ACT Law Society Family Law Committee and the professional Indemnity Insurance Committee. She is an Accredited Specialist in both Family Law and Dispute Resolution. Debra was a pioneer in commencing dialogue with Women’s Refuges in Canberra and she has worked closely with the Domestic Violence Crisis Service. Debra is the only family law accredited specialist in the ACT who is also accredited in dispute resolution from the Law Society of New South Wales and who is also accredited in collaboration.

Debra is currently the Chair of the Law Society of the ACT Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and serves on the International Family Lawyers Committee. She is also a member of the Resolution Institute and the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators. Debra is an accredited Collaborative Settlements lawyer and regularly helps clients achieve settlements out of Court.

Janis BULL is a nationally accredited Family Dispute Resolutions Practitioner (FDRP) working with Family Law matters. She is an advocate of Mediation as an alternative to litigation when resolving disputes within families.  In her own words, Janis works to facilitate a resolution that can be accepted by all participants.

Janis has been working in Private Practice as a Clinical Mental Health Social Worker and Counsellor and for over 10 years have been FDRP registered for over 3 years. She is also a Child Consultant and New Ways for Families Practitioner. As an FDRP, Janis is registered with, and supported by, the Attorney General’s Department of Australia.

As a Child Consultant, Janis offers Child Inclusive Mediation and Counselling. This is a therapeutic intervention for separated parents in dispute, designed to support and powerfully realign co-parenting, by focusing on the experiences of their children and bringing their voice into the mediation room.

Renee Toy is a nationally accredited mediator, conciliator, and family dispute resolution practitioner. Currently, she provides family dispute resolution and mediation services through her business, Listen Talk Resolve. Renee has a background in family law and in the parliamentary service, where she worked for the House of Representatives Committee Office. She’s worked as a family lawyer in Canberra, and convened conferences on family violence and personal protection matters with the ACT Magistrates Court. She has also worked as an Associate to a Judge in the now Federal Circuit Court, and at Legal Aid ACT.

Renee also worked as a Senior Conciliator at the ACT Human Rights Commission, where she conciliated matters relating to discrimination and health services complaints and now is about to take up a position as a Sessional Registrar at the Family Court, where she will convene online family dispute resolution and conciliation conferences in parenting and property matters.

Renee is a panel mediator with the Conflict Resolution Service in Canberra, and with Shaw Dispute Resolution (an organisation based in Adelaide).

Anca Costin holds a Bachelor of Laws (2003) from the Romanian – American University in Bucharest (Romania), a Diploma in Law from the Legal Practitioners Admission Board (University of Sydney) (2014) and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University (2014). Since 2018, Anca is also a committee member of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee with the ACT Law Society.

Anca was called to the Bar in 2019. In December 2019 she was the recipient of the ACT Bar Association Women Scholarship.

Prior to being called to the Bar, Anca enjoyed a successful and diverse career as a solicitor. Anca’s practice comprises of a range of areas, including employment law, administrative law, personal injury and commercial matters. Anca has appeared in most courts and tribunals in the ACT, NSW and at federal level.

Anca is a dedicated mentor to law students in their final years at the Australian National University through Women in Law Organisation (WILO). She is passionate about passing forward her experience and knowledge and helping others to achieve their professional goals.

Dr Lola Akin Ojelabi, Associate Professor, La Trobe Law School, is an Australian Lawyer and a Nationally Accredited Mediator. 

She is a full-time, ongoing academic at La Trobe Law School and has a PhD in Law with a focus on conflict resolution. 

She has over 10 years’ experience as a practising lawyer before commencing a career in academia in 2005. She has taught dispute resolution, negotiation, cultural aspects of dispute resolution and international conflict resolution and Consumer Protection Law. Lola’s research focuses on ADR ethics, mediator responsibilities, teaching ADR in the law curriculum, cultural appropriateness, ADR and access to justice and ADR and social justice.

Welcome to Mediation Today. 

In today’s episode my guest is Dr Rosemary HOWELL. Dr Howell holds a title of a Doctor of Judicial Science from the University of Technology Sydney, she is an Accredited Administrator under the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator scheme, an NMAS Accredited Mediator and Chairman of her company Strategic Action since 1985, to mention only a few of her achievements and activities.

Dr Howell has over 30 years of experience as a lawyer, strategic planner, educator and CEO. She is admitted to practice as a solicitor in Victoria and NSW and has served a term as the Secretary-General of the Law Council of Australia. Rosemary's professional expertise in strategic planning, facilitation and tertiary education has focused on enhancing the quality of professional and legal services through leadership roles in the legal profession's governing bodies, professional engagement in alternative dispute resolution techniques and engagement in higher education.

In today’s episode I am talking with David PURNELL, a mediator and doyen in the area of alternative dispute resolution in Canberra and wider.

David has practised mediation for several decades and has been involved in a number of national and international organisations that took leadership in looking and finding peaceful solutions to World problems.

David is an experienced writer and researcher; member of community groups including UN Association, Quakers, University of the Third Age, Social Developers Network, Committee on Racial Equality. His notable capacity for ‘neutrality’ when mediating and good listening skills are some of the key skills he brings to his work as a mediation trainer, coach and assessor. David is strongly committed to supporting Canberra as a place of innovation and harmony.

David has been awarded the Medal of Order of Australia (1998) for peace activities.

In today’s episode I am talking with David PURNELL, a mediator and doyen in the area of alternative dispute resolution in Canberra and wider.

David has practised mediation for several decades and has been involved in a number of national and international organisations that took leadership in looking and finding peaceful solutions to World problems.

David is an experienced writer and researcher; member of community groups including UN Association, Quakers, University of the Third Age, Social Developers Network, Committee on Racial Equality. His notable capacity for ‘neutrality’ when mediating and good listening skills are some of the key skills he brings to his work as a mediation trainer, coach and assessor. David is strongly committed to supporting Canberra as a place of innovation and harmony.

David has been awarded the Medal of Order of Australia (1998) for peace activities.

this episode is PART 2 of my interview with Michael KLUG AM.

Michael Klug AM is one of Australia’s pioneering lawyers in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and was a founding member of LEADR (Lawyers Engaged in Alternative Dispute Resolution). Michael was also an original Director of the Australasian Disputes Centre and has served on numerous ADR committees and organisations nationwide.

Michael has practised law for over 40 years and is a former managing partner of Clayton Utz' Queensland office. Consistently voted by peers as one of Australia's Best ADR Lawyers, Michael has advised large corporate and government clients in significant public disputes and matters.

Michael is also recognised as one of Australia's best-known teachers in negotiation skills, conflict management and ADR. The Golden Rules of Negotiation, which have been written, observed and extracted by Michael, form the basis of his training program which he presents throughout Australia and overseas.

He's a former Adjunct Professor of the Queensland University of Technology Law School where he has taught generations of students, and has lectured at Bond University and the Griffith University International Negotiation Program. Michael is also on the academic faculty of Lex Mundi, the world's leading association of independent law firms.

Both as an academic and a practitioner, Michael has been recognised as -

- Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia: for significant service to the law in the field of alternative dispute resolution, and to the community (2014)

- Best Lawyers Australia: named Alternative Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year, Brisbane (2013)

-  Best Lawyers Australia: voted by peers as one of Australia's Best Lawyers in Alternative Dispute Resolution (2008-2014).

Michael Klug AM is one of Australia’s pioneering lawyers in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and was a founding member of LEADR (Lawyers Engaged in Alternative Dispute Resolution). Michael was also an original Director of the Australasian Disputes Centre and has served on numerous ADR committees and organisations nationwide.

Michael has practised law for over 40 years and is a former managing partner of Clayton Utz' Queensland office. Consistently voted by peers as one of Australia's Best ADR Lawyers, Michael has advised large corporate and government clients in significant public disputes and matters.

Michael is also recognised as one of Australia's best-known teachers in negotiation skills, conflict management and ADR. The Golden Rules of Negotiation, which have been written, observed and extracted by Michael, form the basis of his training program which he presents throughout Australia and overseas.

He's a former Adjunct Professor of the Queensland University of Technology Law School where he has taught generations of students, and has lectured at Bond University and the Griffith University International Negotiation Program. Michael is also on the academic faculty of Lex Mundi, the world's leading association of independent law firms.

Both as an academic and a practitioner, Michael has been recognised as -

- Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia: for significant service to the law in the field of alternative dispute resolution, and to the community (2014)

- Best Lawyers Australia: named Alternative Dispute Resolution Lawyer of the Year, Brisbane (2013)

-  Best Lawyers Australia: voted by peers as one of Australia's Best Lawyers in Alternative Dispute Resolution (2008-2014).

Shirli Kirschner is an experienced mediator and alternative dispute resolution practitioner from Sydney, with a gentle, friendly personality. I loved interviewing Shirli as her rich experience comes through every word she utters. 

In this, second interview with Shirli, we explore cultural aspects of mediation practice. Shirli talks about the role ethnicity plays in today's society and how it reflects on her approach to mediation. 

Listen to this fantastic interview at your convenience.

Enjoy!

Rhian Williams provides a variety of services through her firm based in Canberra and they include:

- Mediation

- Facilitation

- Dispute system design

- Thought partnering, and

- Research Services

Rhian's website is designed to take the visitor through an outline of her specialty service areas: provision of direct client services, workshops delivery, blog about ‘travels with a triangle’ as well as an outline of recent projects, notably focusing on leadership and cultural safety.

As a Life coach in Canberra, ACT, Fiona McIlroy has over twenty-five years of experience teaching and working in the community sector with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds. This gives her the ability to respond to a range of learning styles and group or individual settings. Fiona is passionate about supporting others to make changes that reflect their true values and abilities through her life coaching and workshops in the Canberra area.

In the past, Fiona was involved with the early beginnings of the Conflict Resolution Service (CRS), Canberra’s distinguished mediation and conflict resolution organisation.

Enjoy!

Today’s guest in my series of podcasts about all things mediation is Dr Hanna Jaireth, a long-term mediator and board member of several non-government environmental law organisations and law journals for many years, a volunteer with ACT ParkCare since 2001 and is a panel member with the Canberra Conflict Resolution Service, CRS.

Hanna was the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Michael Klug Award, awarded by the Resolution Institute.

Hanna’s contribution to the areas of dispute resolution and mediation is enormous. I would like to start with the words that the Resolution Institute placed on their website -

'Hanna contributed significantly towards providing the NZ Government with a comprehensive range of information to support their review of the proposed NZ Farm Debt Mediation scheme, leading to the adoption of the Farm Debt Mediation Act (NSW) in NZ. Through the adoption of this Act, Hanna's efforts have aided the peaceful settlement of conflicts between farmers and their creditors, offering a measure of relief to an economy burdened by the challenges of COVID-19.'

Enjoy this enlightening interview.

Fiona KIRKMAN is the founder of an IT product, 'Family Property', and an Accredited Specialist in Family Law. She is a mediator, a FDR Practitioner and a Collaborative Coach and runs her own practice, Kirkman Family Law, which is focused on 'resolution without court'.

Fiona's website states that she understands the challenges family lawyers and FDRP mediators face, particularly time and cost pressures.  She believes that 'Family Property' offers a better way to manage family property settlement matters online and collaboratively.

Venita DIMOS is a mediator and a Conflict Coach. To manage conflict is not something most people have ever received education and training for. Most people have learned to deal with conflict ‘on the job’, through trial and error, through stress and damaged relationships.

As a result, many people choose to avoid or fear conflict. Avoiding conflict resolves nothing.

Being able to effectively resolve disputes is an invaluable life skill that can help you restore relationships, whether in your workplace or your personal life.

By working with a trained Conflict Coach or attending a Conflict Workshop, you can privately explore your own personal conflict patterns and better understand the dynamics of conflict with the important people in your life.

Hear important messages about conflict management and resolution from this insightful interview with Venita.

Enjoy!

Dr Richard WHITWELL is a lawyer and a mediator, a professional who has worked right across Australia in his various roles, working as a high-ranked Government official as well as a private practitioner mediator in Canberra.

Right up to 2019 Richard worked in Port Hedland, Pilbara Region, Western Australia.

He was a Senior Lecturer, School of Business and Law, Central Queensland University, up to 2010 and for a number of years prior to that was a Director in the Federal Government's Australian Customs Service.

Dr Whitwell is talking about his practice as a mediator, as well as about the Singapore Convention on Mediation, which came to force in September 202, with Australian Government still considering the outcomes of public consultations on the issue (as of March 2021).

Enjoy!

Bernadette (Berni) is an accredited Family Law Specialist as certified by the Law Society of New South Wales and a trained collaborative lawyer. She has been working as a Family Lawyer for over 25 years.

Her work is exclusively dedicated to all aspects of Family Law and has a passion for achieving workable solutions for her clients whether that is through agreement or through a hearing at Court.

“Doyle’s Guide to the Australian Legal Market” has ranked Berni as a recommended Parenting Lawyer in 2020.

Berni is also a Nationally Accredited Mediator and served as a Member of the NSW Law Society Family Law Settlement Panel. She combines her extensive legal expertise and experience with a love of Mediation and desire to work with parties and to reach a practical and pragmatic outcome.

Eddie SENATORE is a Canberra-based mediator, practising in the area of business mediations.  We hear from his rich experience as well as about his involvements in a number of international mediation fora.

Enjoy!