Summer holidays are rapidly approaching, but here at the Australian Disputes Centre the momentum continues to build. I am excited to share with you our latest news and events, including training and CPD opportunities, and next year’s highly anticipated conference and ADR Awards.

A recent highlight on the ADC calendar was The Hon. James Allsop AC’s presentation of the 8th Annual ADR Address of the Supreme Court of NSW. We are delighted to share Mr Allsop’s ADR Address in this Bulletin. It is an invaluable consideration of the intersectionality of the courts, access to justice, ADR mechanisms, and culture.

ADC extends its warm thanks to Mr Allsop for his insightful ADR Address, to Chief Justice Bell for his support, and the over 145 registered guests, including over 40 students and teachers from local high schools who attended in the Banco Court. In a new engagement initiative, ADC hosted the post-address cocktail reception at its offices, located next to the Supreme Court. This provided an ideal opportunity for networking and reflection following the successful address.

We are thrilled to conclude 2025’s ADR Address Series in Adelaide this November, featuring Her Honour Judge Suzanne Mackenzie. Our thanks to Chief Justice Chris Kourakis and Judge Mackenzie for collaborating with ADC to present this 6th Annual ADR Address of the Supreme Court of South Australia.

ADC’s upcoming Training Calendar has many CPD and accreditation opportunities available, including the AMDRAS Advanced Mediator Accreditation Practicum on 26–27 November 2025.

We also invite all HR managers and mediators to attend ADC’s ½ day Workplace Mediation Workshops in December.

If you are looking to enhance your professional profile and achieve AMDRAS or LMA Scheme Mediation Accreditation, ADC’s Certificate of Training programme is conveniently running online over summer. See details for all CPD and training opportunities below.

Thought leadership remains a cornerstone of ADC’s remit. In this Bulletin we share with you the third and final essay ADC is publishing from the APCMC Essay Competition 2025, and from the founder of Econation, a timely reminder on how ADR can contribute to a more sustainable world.

Last but not the least, I am thrilled to invite you to celebrate two significant milestones with ADC: our 40^th anniversary and the 10^th anniversary of the Australian ADR Awards!

Nominations open on 1 December 2025 for 29 award categories, including our new ‘Adjudicator of the Year’ and ‘Government ADR Practice Group’ of the Year awards. We encourage you to nominate yourself or a deserving colleague and recognise the important work that defines excellence in dispute resolution.

Registrations also open on 1 December for the International ADR Conference and Gala Dinner. A landmark year calls for a landmark venue. Celebrate with us at the iconic Sydney Opera House on 27 March 2026. Don't miss out - save the date!

I extend my warm thanks to everyone for your continued support. It means everything to us. I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Australian ADR Awards, training events, and conference.

Best Regards,

Deborah

We are honoured to have Judge Suzanne Mackenzie present the 6th Annual ADR Address of the Supreme Court of South Australia. Judge Mackenzie was a founding partner of DMAW Lawyers and partner at Piper Alderman before joining the Bar Chambers in 2018. With over 30 years of rich experience in commercial and corporate law, financial services, taxation, superannuation, trusts and equity, Her Honour built her career as a respected barrister before taking up the appointment to South Australia’s District Court on 27 February 2025.

Registration is free, but seating is limited.

Register TODAY!

Turn to the experts for hands-on advanced training and accreditation in mediating complex commercial matters.

Designed for Experienced Mediators (150+ mediator hours and have been accredited for 4+ years).

Practical, progressive and tailored for your advanced skills development. 

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For all mediators and HR managers.

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Workplace conflict can be a unique challenge to resolve, especially with the intertwining professional relationships, communication styles, and cultural dynamics at play. These two ½ day interactive workshops are designed to equip you with the practical tools to effectively manage and resolve workplace disputes, and use the conflict as an opportunity to foster communication and positive outcomes in the workplace.

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“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

The Australian Disputes Centre was thrilled to contribute to the recent National Mediation Conference, held in Sydney from 21–24 September 2025. With the theme The Peace Equation: Crafting and Connection, ADC CEO Deborah Lockhart co-designed the conference and facilitated multiple sessions covering commercial, construction, community and ethics. ADC also engaged attendees through its exhibition photo booth.

Read more about ADC’s experience at NMC 2025 in the article HERE!

In October, ADC welcomed a senior legal delegation from Anhui Province in China to our Sydney office. The delegation, led by Mr Bao Laiyou (Deputy Chief Prosecutor of the People’s Procuratorate of Anhui Province, China) sought to learn from ADC’s expertise on dispute resolution development and understand the current ADR landscape in Australia.

Mr John Wakefield, ADC Chairman and partner at Holman Webb, and CEO Deborah Lockhart spoke with the delegation on ADC’s work and their insights on ADR best practice. Our warm thanks to Susie Zhou from Holman Webb for her collaboration and masterful translation.

Over the years, ADC has welcomed many international delegations. See a snapshot of those visitors HERE »

Some modest reflections upon dispute resolution: the value of a dispute resolution culture

Although mechanisms like mediation and arbitration are distinct from the formalities of a court hearing, these processes play an integral part in the holistic nature of dispute resolution. In his thought provoking and inspiring ADR Address, Mr Allsop reflects on how ADR is “part of, but separate from” the judicial system, and how the utilisation of both ADR and curial conflict resolution allows for a cultural shift towards cooperative problem solving.

Read the full address HERE »

We congratulate Ms Manullang for her commended essay in the APCMC 2025 Essay Competition. With the growing prevalence of mediation, particularly online dispute resolution (ODR), it becomes increasingly important to ensure continuing protection of the mediation process and its core values of autonomy, empathy, fairness, and mutual participation. However, regulation must not be about rigidity, but rather to provide a structure for the growing adaptability of ADR to encourage meaningful practice.

Read the essay HERE »

We are increasingly reminded to take every opportunity to consider sustainability in all aspects of our work and lives. This article highlights how ADR processes can have a smaller ecological footprint than litigation, making it inherently more sustainable.

Read the article 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!

The Law Society of NSW’s annual ADR Committee CPD and networking event will be held at 5.30pm on Thursday, 20 November 2025.

This year’s panel discussion is on the topic “If litigation is the last resort, should ADR be the first? What are the options? Is it ever too early to mediate?

The eminent panel members are:

The panel discussion will be followed by a catered reception, to continue the conversation and network with peers.

Registration information