ADC has successfully wrapped up an intensive, international engagement. This initiative has significantly expanded Australia’s footprint across major dispute resolution hubs in the Asia-Pacific and Europe. Leading the charge, ADC Chairman John Wakefield spearheaded institutional diplomacy in Singapore. Concurrently, ADC CEO Deborah Lockhart represented the centre at peak global ADR forums in London and Athens.

Together, these executive engagements have deepened strategic ties, enriched the cross-border legal ecosystem, and reinforced the ADC’s role as a premier institution for world-leading ADR.

Driving Collaboration in Singapore’s Dispute Hub

In mid-June, ADC Chairman John Wakefield convened a pivotal, high-level meeting at Maxwell Chambers in Singapore to advance regional cooperation. The roundtable brought together some of the most influential leaders in the Asia-Pacific alternative dispute resolution (ADR) ecosystem. Attendees included:

  • Dato Mary Lim and Datuk Danesh Chandran from the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC)
  • George Lim SC representing the Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC)
  • Gloria Lim and Hannah Wee from the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC)

The strategic discussion focused on shared matters of regional interest and new avenues for institutional alignment. By partnering with heavyweights like SIAC, SIMC, and AIAC, the ADC continues to pave the way for Australia’s expanding network of dispute resolution professionals operating across the region, ensuring seamless, cross-border commercial dispute management.

Navigating Innovation and Trust at London International Disputes Week (LIDW)

Simultaneously, ADC CEO Deborah Lockhart participated in the prestigious London International Disputes Week (LIDW). Anchored by the central theme “Tradition, Trust and Transformation in Dispute Resolution,” this year’s event offered an extraordinary breadth of technical sessions and networking opportunities.

The program explored how legacy legal frameworks are adapting to modern commercial and social pressures. It included a series of dynamic discussions tracking major shifts across high-stakes sectors, including climate change, aviation, and mining. Key highlights and sessions during the week included:

  • Arbitrating Defence Sector Disputes: A standout session exploring the unique security, confidentiality, and technical complexities of defence contracts, featuring insights from Gitanjali Bajaj, DLA Piper Partner, ACICA Deputy President and Australian ADR Awards Hall of Fame Inductee 2026.
  • 39 Essex Chambers: In-depth sessions dedicated to the shifting dynamics of commercial mediation and corporate risk management.
  • Equal Representation in Arbitration (ERA) Pledge: Celebrating the 10th anniversary of this landmark global initiative, driving diversity and equal representation across international tribunals.

Deborah’s active involvement ensured that the Australian perspective was thoroughly integrated into these critical global debates, highlighting the ADC’s readiness to adopt and promote cutting-edge dispute resolution practices.

Shaping the Future of Mediation in Athens

The final leg of this recent international engagement brought Deborah to Greece for the 35th UIA World Forum of Mediation Centres in Athens – a follow-on from ADC’s support for the 34th UIA Forum in Sydney last year. Held under the patronage of the Greek Minister of Justice, this premier forum brought together leading commercial mediation practitioners and institutions from five continents.

The sessions in Athens focused closely on the evolution of emerging mediation hubs and the operational challenges of international dispute management. Delegates shared valuable insights on expanding uptake and methods of ADR, refining mediator training, and increasing corporate trust in non-adversarial pathways. The event provided ADC with unique international networking opportunities to bridge Australian mediation practices with European and global standards.

Looking Forward: Elevating Australian ADR

This highly successful international engagement initiative underscores ADC’s active role in shaping global dispute resolution standards. By bringing these vital insights back to Australia, ADC continues to provide top-tier skills training, professional accreditation, and administrative excellence for commercial sectors everywhere.

Over the coming months ADC’s international engagement focusses again on our regional neighbours. In mid-August, Deborah Lockhart is set to present a major paper at Law Asia’s Environmental Law Conference in PNG. Her topic directly reflects ADC’s decades of work in the region: Beyond the Western Lens: Adapting ADR for Environmental Justice in the Pacific – The ADC Partnership Process. The presentation showcases ADC’s deep history of collaborating with Pacific communities to build dispute resolution frameworks that honour local traditions while delivering effective, modern environmental justice.

In late August, ADC and the ICC will collaborate to host the 10th Annual Asia-Pacific Mediation Competition for university students across the region. This milestone event provides students with invaluable, real-world international negotiation experience, while offering global professionals a premier platform to mentor the next generation of legal talent, expand their cross-border networks, and benchmark international best practices.

Then in September, Deborah will contribute to the 39th LAWASIA Conference in Seoul, speaking on International Commercial Courts – The Present and Future of International Commercial Dispute Resolution. Her presentation will explore developments in these specialised forums and the importance of providing businesses with predictable, high-stakes dispute resolution on the global stage.

To explore our upcoming educational programs, global initiatives, and professional training calendar, please visit ADC’s Events Portal.