ADR Conference

Mediation Matters.

Each year the Queensland Law Society (QLS) convenes a conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution(ADR) for legal practitioners and other professionals.

The full day conference examines developments in Mediation,Arbitration and other alternatives to a court resolution both on a national and international level and provides an opportunity for mediators and arbitrators to network and exchange ideas with colleagues.

The conference discussion was led by a range of speakers drawn fom legal and mediation practice,academia and industry.The topics were both stimulating and informative.

I was asked to present on Surviving in a Mediation Practice, with my good friends and colleagues Tess Brook and Tom Stodulka.

The topic is of particular relevance to me as some years ago now, after several decades in legal practice, I made the decision along with my wife and psychologist Denise Britton to establish a stand alone mediation practice on Wickham Terrace.The decision to establish Brisbane Mediations was a brave one at the time, but with the assistance of our long term manager Joanne McDonald,we have been successful in establishing the practice, which we can proudly say is the only stand alone private shopfront mediation practice in Brisbane. Operating on a fulltime basis from our Dispute Resolution Centre, and together with our panel of mediators, we have assisted many hundreds if not thousands of couples to resolve their conflict without the expense or delay of court proceedings.

Both Denise and myself derive enormous pleasure from being able to assist couples and others to resolve their conflict and move on with their lives.

Whilst our mediation practice initially derived from our long years of professional practice in the matrimonial area, in my case as a lawyer and in Denise's case as a psychologist, our practice has spread well beyond matrimonial to the point where we assist people resolve all manner of conflict including in the workplace, industrial, school and general interpersonal environments.

It is always a pleasure to present to a group of mediators of varying experience to help explain some of the pitfalls they will confront and strategies for overcoming them in their practice.

Our mediation practice has been assisted greatly by the range of backgrounds and life experience not only of ourselves but of our panellists.

One of the interesting facets of mediation is that everything you experience and do in life and everyone you meet, or situation you encounter, helps to improve your skills and ability and develop your repertoire as mediators.

Both Denise and I are always learning and striving to improve our skills and days such as the QLS ADR day provide a great opportunity for this.

We congratulate the staff of QLS on another successful day.

We both look forward greatly to continuing to improve our skills and to help people resolve their conflict in whatever field of life they are involved.

Mike Emerson