It has been an exciting few weeks for the Australian Disputes Centre and dispute resolution industry. The 9th annual Australian ADR Awards was a wonderful celebration of the incredible work of our dispute resolution practitioners. The breadth of work undertaken across the country and internationally by Australia-based practitioners, and the exceptional quality of that work, is something for which we can all be proud and thankful. We thank all dispute resolvers for their dedication and expertise in helping commerce and communities thrive.

We were thrilled to celebrate their collective work at the ADR Awards International Conference and recognise both individual and team excellence at the annual Gala Dinner. Our warm thanks to all speakers, delegates and guests for your support and a special congratulations to all finalists and ADR Award winners for 2025.

During the two days of celebrations, we invited guests to the Australian Disputes Centre on Macquarie St for an open house, Coffee & Connections. Our warm thanks to Auntie Miliwanga from the Roper River who blessed the beautiful Mimi spirits held by ADC as part of the Ken Hinds Collection. A special thanks too, to The Hon. Chief Justice Chris Kourakis who visited ADC for coffee, following his wonderful presentation at the conference in conversation with ADC Director, Michael Talbot, and later presented the ADR Awards at the Gala Dinner.  

Hear from our Special Rapporteur, Tom Van der Velde on the conference, see the list of ADR Award winners and a special recognition for Judith Levine who was inducted into the Australian ADR Awards Hall of Fame, and enjoy the wonderful photo galleries of the ADR Awards events 2025 in the Bulletin below.

Also in this Bulletin, we highlight ADC's two Conflict Capability Masterclasses for Australia's public sector. As conflict levels have accelerated across society, arming all levels of government with the skills required to best respond to the needs of their clients is increasingly important.

Continuing ADC's Intern Series, we recognise the charismatic Isabella Gillam who is pursuing a stellar career in commercial law following her internship and associateship with ADC.

We are delighted to share the ADR Address by The Hon John Sackar AM KC on matters of Accountability in Mediation and Arbitration presented at the Supreme Court of NSW. Mr Sackar's insightful Address is a must-read for all dispute resolution practitioners.

For those looking to complete their mediation training or mediator refresher days before the end of the financial year, there are still places available in the upcoming courses.
I encourage you to register as soon as possible.

Thank you again for your support and I hope to see you soon at upcoming ADC events.

Warm Regards,

Deborah

The Australian Disputes Centre is proud to host the dispute resolution industry’s night-of-nights, celebrating Australia’s incredible dispute resolution talent. It is an opportunity to recognise the exceptional individuals and teams who make a real difference in people’s lives every day. The Australian ADR Awards represent excellence across multiple categories, and we congratulate all finalists and winners who have made significant contributions to the dispute resolution industry over the past twelve months. Thank you, Australian dispute resolution practitioners.

Read the full wrap-up here »

ADC is proud to recognise Judith Levine on her induction into the Australian ADR Awards' Hall of Fame at the Awards' Gala Dinner in Sydney, on Friday, 2 May 2025.

In Australia and internationally, Judith is recognised as an industry leader who has the outstanding achievement of winning the Australian ADR Award 'Arbitrator of the Year' in 2020, 2021, and 2024. Judith is acknowledged as a leading, independent arbitrator with extensive experience in investment treaty, commercial, and public international law disputes. Her ability to navigate complex cross-border disputes is an inspiration to all in the field. In addition to her legal expertise, Judith is recognised for her industry leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence in all aspects of domestic and international arbitration.

We warmly CONGRATULATE Judith on receiving this significant dispute resolution accolade for extraordinary achievement as an independent arbitrator and her inspirational leadership in promoting best-practice arbitration across the globe.

ADC recently published an interview with Judith about her work. You can read more about Judith on our website here »

Bringing together dispute resolution specialists, legal experts, current and former judiciary, First Nations leaders, and academics ADC’s recent international conference - Oceans Nine: Powering the Surge in Global Dispute Resolution delivered more than just technical dialogue—it was a forum that encouraged creative and practical action to make a real-world difference. By combining dispute resolution expertise with innovation, and cultural awareness, Oceans Nine called for the development of culturally responsive ADR practice to confront the challenges of climate change, fishing rights, water justice and balancing the interests of local and global communities.

Thank you again to all our incredible speakers and delegates for your generous support and many insightful contributions!

Read the full wrap-up here »

The ADR Awards International Conference - Oceans Nine: Powering the Surge in Global Disputes Resolution - made waves at Pier One Sydney Harbour on 1 May 2025. With esteemed speakers sharing their insights and knowledge, our Special Rapporteur, Tom van der Velde, took on the herculean task of reporting on the day, distilling his thoughts and key insights for delegates. We are delighted to share Tom’s report.

Read Tom’s report here »

In the exclusive Coffee & Connections event on 2 May 2025, conference delegates had the chance to hear more from Antarctic and natural environment advocate Graeme Ayres, and Traditional owner and healer Miliwanga Wurrben, in conversation with guests on the intersectionality of land ownership to the wider environment and community.

We were honoured to have Chief Justice Chris Kourakis join guests for coffee, and for Aunty Miliwanga to facilitate a blessing of the Mimi spirits residing at ADC as part of the Ken Hinds Cultural Heritage Collection. Aunty Miliwanga is a Rembarrnga traditional owner and elder and the three Mimi spirits at ADC were crafted on her country. It was a solemn experience, and we are grateful for Aunty's insights in helping us appreciate the spiritual significance of these beautiful spirit carvings.

Watch Aunty Miliwanga's blessing here »

"Absolutely brilliant learning experience. I was particularly impressed by the process of providing feedback on our performance from several experienced coaches. The real-time live assessment was extremely valuable." – Prasuna

Conflict levels are high in the community and can be a costly problem for the public sector. Skilled staff who can negotiate, de-escalate conflict and resolve disputes have never been more important. These two-day Masterclasses are dedicated to the public sector experience and equip participants with the vital skills and strategies needed to:

The Australian Disputes Centre provided a tailored 1-day mediation training course to our government department which provided excellent insight into the mediation process, effective communication, formulation of position papers and consideration of mediation strategy. The course provided many extremely helpful tips and suggestions which we can put into practice immediately. The ADC team kept all participants engaged and focussed all day and we have all learned so many valuable new skills. Thank you! –  Rebecca Dalias

Over many years ADC has created a rich and vibrant culture for students and young legal practitioners to volunteer their time and contribute to our work. They network with leading ADR Practitioners and learn more about the raft of dispute resolution processes available to parties. Our Interns remain part of the ADC family, and we delight in watching their career progression. Here we introduce you to former intern Isabella Gillam.

I was an ADC Intern and Dispute Resolution Associate from 2020 – 2021. I was initially referred to the Australian Disputes Centre by the Dean of the University of Newcastle Law School, Professor Tania Sourdin.

During my time as an intern and Associate at the ADC, I worked closely with CEO, Deborah Lockhart, providing case management services in complex mediations, negotiations and expert determinations, and assisting with the ADC’s Mediation Training and Accreditation Program. As someone with a deep interest in alternative dispute resolution, this was a unique opportunity to obtain hands on experience while observing hundreds of mediations. These experiences significantly shaped my approach to legal practice and reinforced my passion for dispute resolution.

During my time at the ADC, I also had the opportunity to contribute to several of the Centre’s domestic and international not-for-profit initiatives, many of which continue to raise awareness of alternative dispute resolution. These initiatives include the annual ADC-ICC ASIA Pacific Commercial Mediation Competition, for which I still volunteer each year as a judge, the annual state-based Supreme Court ADR Addresses, and the Australian ADR Awards.

We extend our warm thanks to The Hon. John Sackar AM KC for his compelling and thought-provoking ADR Address 2025 at the Supreme Court of NSW.

Mr Sackar’s reflections on the “parallel universes” of litigation, mediation, and arbitration highlight not only their shared purpose to quell disputes efficiently and fairly but also the critical differences in their structure, accountability, and public interest function. As Mr Sackar noted, ADR processes, while private, have a public responsibility in maintaining the integrity of our dispute resolution system, working alongside the courts to provide justice that is both accessible and efficient. 

Read Mr Sackar’s full address here »

See the photo gallery from the ADR Address here »

The ADC-ICC Asia Pacific Commercial Mediation Competition (APCMC) is back for its 9th year, and we’re inviting universities from around the world to compete in this exciting global event! Taking place online from 29-31 August 2025, this prestigious competition offers Law, Business, and Social Science students an incredible opportunity to develop their skills in commercial mediation and negotiation.

Teams tackle real-world international commercial disputes, guided by professional mediators and adjudicated by experienced ADR practitioners. The competition provides students with valuable networking opportunities and a chance to showcase their abilities on a global stage.

So many reasons to participate:

Register your teams now and prepare them for a memorable and educational experience. Multiple teams are welcome!

Register here today and join us online this August!

We invite all dispute resolution practitioners to volunteer as mediators, judges, and coaches in support of the next generation of ADR leaders. The APCMC is an inspiring event, bringing together students, professionals, and academics from across the globe, and you earn CPD points! Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to support student learning while broadening your network. Learn more and sign up today to be part of this prestigious competition!

Register here today and join us online this August!

The ADC Book Club features a reading list designed to deepen your dispute resolution knowledge and expertise. Stay current, add CPD points for your AMDRAS Accreditation and expand your professional connections in a relaxed online setting (from wherever you are!).

ADC Book Club is curated by ADC’s stellar training faculty and meets regularly.

What our Book Clubbers are saying:

It is great interacting with my peers. Great conversations are generated around the reading material we review but the real gems lie in expanded discussions around how the text can be incorporated into our practices. Phillip Dibben

Join the Conversation HERE!