As we enter the latter half of the year, the Australian Disputes Centre is delighted to share a rich array of updates, achievements, and opportunities that continue to shape and strengthen the ADR community.

We begin by celebrating the outstanding participants of the Asia-Pacific Commercial Mediation Competition (APCMC). This year’s competition showcased the exceptional talent and dedication of university teams from across the region. Congratulations to the winners and heartfelt thanks to the mediators, judges, and volunteers whose expertise and generosity made the event a resounding success.

Looking ahead, we invite you to save the date for one of the most anticipated events in our calendar: the ADR Conference and Awards 2026, taking place in Sydney on 26–27 March 2026. This special occasion marks ADC’s 40th Anniversary and the 10th annual Australian ADR Awards. Expressions of Interest are now open, and we encourage you to register early to be part of this landmark celebration of excellence and innovation in dispute resolution.

We are honoured to collaborate with the Supreme Court of New South Wales for the upcoming ADR Address, continuing our tradition of engaging with the judiciary to promote thought leadership and best practice in ADR. This follows the recent Northern Territory Supreme Court ADR Address, where Dr Cameron Ford OAM SC delivered a compelling keynote on the evolving role of ADR in complex legal environments.

In October, during Australian Arbitration Week, ADC will host the Australia–Latin America Trade and ADR Seminar, exploring the growing opportunities for dispute resolution in international trade and investment between these dynamic regions. This seminar promises to be a valuable forum for cross-border dialogue and professional development.

We are also inviting Expressions of Interest for our Masterclass Mediating in the Headlights of Litigation and Arbitration, which will delve into the strategic and psychological dimensions of mediation in high-stakes legal contexts. This promises to be a thought-provoking and practical session for practitioners navigating complex commercial disputes.

ADC’s Training Calendar remains full of opportunities for professional  growth, including the highly regarded Conflict Capability Masterclass, which equips participants with advanced skills to manage and resolve disputes effectively. Whether you're seeking mediator accreditation or looking to enhance your team’s capability, ADC’s training programs offer flexible, high-quality learning experiences.

In this Bulletin’s Thought Leadership section, we turn our attention to a comparative essay on the Regulation of Mediation and also Traditional Dispute Resolution, examining how cultural practices and community-based mechanisms continue to inform and enrich modern ADR approaches.

Finally, ADC is proud to support two major industry events: the National Mediation Conference in September and Australian Arbitration Week in October. These gatherings are essential for staying connected, informed, and inspired within the ADR profession and I look forward to catching up with you at both conferences.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support. We look forward to welcoming you to our upcoming courses, seminars, and conferences, and to continuing our shared journey in advancing private dispute resolution across Australia and beyond.

Warm Regards,

Deborah

After a hotly contested Grand Final of the ADC-ICC Asia Pacific Commercial Mediation Competition on Sunday, 31 August, the winning team was announced.

We congratulate The University of Queensland for their Grand Final win and UNSW as the runner up. With just a few hours to prepare, the performances of both teams were extraordinary. Congratulations also to the University of Delhi, which fielded not one but two teams in the semi-finals earlier in the day – a stellar result for this team that was also awarded the Spirit of APCMC 2025.

We extend congratulations to all the teams competing in this year's competition. Their hard work in preparing for the competition shone through in every mediation session, and the list of rankings and special award winners is a testament to the depth of skills the students brought to APCMC 2025. Thank you all for contributing to such a successful event.

We also say a big thank you to the many local and international judges, mediators and session supervisors who gave so generously of their time and expertise in support of the students’ learning. We could not do it without you all! Our warm thanks also to Mark McKillop and the Victorian Bar ADR Committee for their ongoing support for APCMC and presenting the Henry Jolson Prize for 2025.

APCMC introduced a new Essay Competition for students in 2025, and the inaugural and thorny topic was ‘Should Mediation Be Regulated?’

We are thrilled to announce the winner of the essay competition was Muhammad Usman Shaukat from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad. Muhammad’s essay is published in this Bulletin. Saif Ur Rehman also from Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad was awarded a ‘Highly Commended’ for his essay, and Elizabeth Jessica Manullang from Universitas Gadjah Mada was awarded ‘Commended’. We will share these essays with you in the coming months. We thank Anthony Lo Surdo SC and the ADR Committee of the NSW Bar for their generous support for APCMC and the new essay competition.

For a full list of APCMC 2025 results - please see here »

ADC is excited to contribute to Australian Arbitration Week 2025 with a vital discussion on the evolving landscape of the Australia-Latin America trade relationship and the impact of ADR processes in helping business partners adapt to the increasing complexities of global trade. With experts from both sides of the Pacific contributing to the conversation, this is a not-to-be-missed event being held at ADC’s stunning offices on Macquarie St, Sydney and via international simulcast.

Register Here »

In this Thought Leadership series ADC collaborates with Chief Justice Bell to explore a range of current ADR related issues, including the application of these processes in and out of the Courts. We are thrilled to have The Hon. James Allsop AC delivering this ADR Address of the Supreme Court of NSW on 29 October.

The annual ADR Address is open to all. Guests include judiciary, parliamentarians, barristers, solicitors, dispute resolution practitioners, government officials, academics, university and school students.

Registration is free, but seating is limited.

Register TODAY!

Be among the first to receive details of ADC’s leading international Masterclass and advanced mediator accreditation.

A real-world view of the mediation process in complex commercial matters.

Take your skills to the next level, under the guidance of ADC’s eminent faculty comprised of leading ADR practitioners. Enrich your practice with this deep dive into advanced skills and learn to navigate an increasingly complex landscape in commercial dispute resolution.

The equifinality of determinative dispute resolution 

OR

The urge to converge

OR

Arbigation

We warmly congratulate and thank Dr Ford for his erudite ADR Address of the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory 2025.

Our thanks also to Chief Justice Michael Grant AO for his collaboration with ADC in presenting this annual event, and for his warm welcome to guests. ADC also thanks First Nations Broadcasting (FNB) for its generous support in filming, editing and broadcasting this event. 

We invite you to watch the FNB’s screening of Dr Ford’s Address HERE »

“The expertise and knowledge brought by [the trainers] was at a level far exceeding any training I have attended in my higher study and professional life. Extremely insightful and full tips and smarts for practical use. More than all of this the genuine passion for the subject and the genuine love for imparting their knowledge was extraordinary.” – Ravine, May 2025

Regulation of mediation is an ongoing issue across the globe. Muhammad’s winning essay delves into a comparative review of the various regulatory approaches adopted and evaluates the case for and against regulation to propose a balanced, context-sensitive approach.

Read the essay HERE

Historic, cultural, and ancestral-based community procedures are the most commonly used Indigenous conflict resolution processes. This review calls for a greater recognition of Indigenous justice systems and their ability to improve contemporary ADR approaches on both global and domestic fronts.

Read the article HERE

We are delighted to support Australian Arbitration Week taking place from 12-17 October 2025 in Sydney. AAW’s flagship event – the International Arbitration Conference – is on Monday, 13 October 2025 and we encourage you to explore the full IA Conference Programme and Register here.

ADC is again contributing to AAW with a business focussed seminar, this year exploring dispute resolution in the context of the Australia-Latin America Trade Relationship. See details and free registration HERE.

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!