BENCH FAREWELL CEREMONY 16 August 2019 On his retirement as a respected Judge of the Land and Environment Court, His Honour Justice Terence Sheahan AO leaves a lasting legacy in both the judicial system and in the field of ADR. Including establishing the Australian Commercial Disputes Centre (now ‘ADC’) in 1986 as Attorney General of NSW, Justice Sheahan has played a pivotal role in introducing and advocating for non-adversarial, alternative dispute resolution (‘ADR’) processes within Australia’s legal system. On [...]

Seminar, 5 September 2019 By Gigi Lockhart, Dispute Resolution Associate and Zuzanna Cieplinska, ADC/ACICA Intern On 5 September 2019, The Australian Disputes Centre (‘ADC’) hosted an in-depth seminar on the bourgeoning significance of Alternative Dispute Resolution (‘ADR’) in resolving matters that involve Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (‘ATSI’ or ‘First Nations’) communities. The value of ADR in resolving disputes related to a broad range of issues across First Nations communities can be attributed, amongst other things, to its [...]

By Zuzanna Cieplinska, ADC/ACICA Intern LLB of International and European Law, The Hague University of Applied Sciences With the launch of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and the Silk Road Economic Belt, ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative (‘OBOR’), the need for ADR has never been more critical. International economic cooperation among countries on the Belt and Road routes are aimed at financial integration, trade growth and investment opportunities, and policy integration. Disputes are an inevitable upshot of pursuing [...]

By Zuzanna Cieplinska, ADC/ACICA Intern LLB of International and European Law, The Hague University of Applied Sciences                             Introduction The matter of transparency in arbitral appointments still raises many concerns in the international arbitration arena. Soon, the UK Supreme Court will hear an appeal from Halliburton Company v Chubb Bermuda Insurance Ltd[1], known as the ‘Deepwater Horizon’ case. The appeal concerns issues relating to the acceptance of appointments in multiple references concerning the same or overlapping subject matter with [...]

Grahame John Berecry was born on 18 August 1947 and grew up in the North Sydney area. He completed his schooling at Marist Brothers Mosman and received his Leaving Certificate in 1964. Following the path of many before him, Grahame embarked upon a career in the public service, joining what was then the Petty Sessions branch of the Department of the Attorney-General in 1965. The challenging and varied work of the clerks in the Petty Sessions courts was considered [...]

The Interaction Between the Courts and Alternative (or Assisted) Dispute Resolution The Honourable Chief Justice Grant We are delighted to share with you His Honour’s full Address. Speaking at the inaugural Supreme Court of the Northern Territory ADR Address, Chief Justice Michael Grant considered the meaningful relationship between courts and alternative dispute resolution methods in resolving disputes. Recognising the significance of ADR, His Honour stated that “Courts would be quickly overrun if ADR was to cease”. With advances in [...]

Media Release 12 August 2019 The Australian ADR Awards recognise and celebrate the positive impact of Alternative Dispute Resolution professionals on the lives, and in the business success, of people who are in dispute. ADR processes continue to flourish in all sectors of Australian society, from family dispute resolution mediations to international commercial arbitrations. “ADR was once the alternative route for Australians in disputes, but over the past several decades it has shifted to become mainstream,” says the Australian [...]

Media Release 12 August 2019   Having previously been named the Australian ADR Awards Mediator of the Year for three years running, as well as International Mediator of the Year for two years in a row, eminent barrister Mary Walker has been inducted into the Australian ADR Awards Hall of Fame. The Australian Disputes Centre recognises Mary’s outstanding contribution to Alternative Dispute Resolution. Her unparalleled contribution to the practice, promotion, and teaching of dispute resolution, both in Australia and internationally, [...]

The Hon. Chief Justice Michael Grant Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of NT Launching the Northern Territory’s Supreme Court ADR Address series on 30 May 2019, the Honourable Chief Justice Michael Grant discussed ‘The Interaction between the Courts and Alternative (or Assisted) Dispute Resolution’. Chief Justice Grant brought an insightful perspective to the ever-expanding relationship between ADR processes and the courts, with a uniquely NT frame. With the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations expected to reach majority [...]

By Andrea Soriano* Introduction In a speech delivered at the Inaugural Supreme Court ADR [1] Address in September 2018, Bathurst CJ of the Supreme Court of New South Wales remarked upon technology and the future of alternative dispute resolution, as well as the courts.[2] He concluded that collaboration between stakeholders – courts, ADR professionals, and the public alike – are essential to cultivating effective technology solutions that improve access to justice. In line with this [...]