ADR Seminar 2023

Tony has an extensive commercial practice in the Supreme and Federal Courts.  He is a highly regarded sports lawyer, appearing at arbitrations at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.  Tony chairs selection disputes panels for various national sports and also has a special interest in alternative dispute resolution.  Tony is a Nationally Accredited Mediator and an Advanced Accredited Mediator.

Tony has conducted mediations in varied and complex matters including commercial law, contract disputes, corporations law, insurance, trade practices and consumer protection, banking and finance, property law, unit and discretionary trusts, professional negligence, family maintenance claims and will disputes.

Toby is an Accredited Specialist in Commercial Litigation with the Queensland Law Society (QLS) and is a former member of the QLS’ Commercial Litigation Specialist Accreditation Advisory Committee.  He has been conducting mediations for about 20 years, is a National Accredited Mediator, Member of the Law Council of Australia’s ADR Committee and Chair of the QLS ADR Committee

Geri Ettinger is a lawyer, specialist-accredited dispute resolution practitioner and nationally-accredited mediator who has worked both in the private and public sectors. She was Chief Executive of the Australian Consumers' Association, publisher of CHOICE Magazine, for more than 10 years, and was for a long period, a Board Member of St George Bank.

Ms Ettinger held an appointment as a Senior Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (Commonwealth), for over 20 years. The work in very diverse federal jurisdictions involved hearings, decision making, and writing Reasons for Decision. 

She currently holds an appointment as a Mediator of the NSW Personal Injury Commission, and chairs hearings as appointed by the NSW Ministry of Health with regard to appeals against disciplinary action of medical practitioners. These roles require managing the process through its legal and evidentiary ramifications, as well as taking into account the human elements of the parties appearing, and the Panel itself. Further sensitivity is required in preparing Reasons for Decision in a timely manner, taking into account the law, the evidence, and the differing professional backgrounds of the litigants and the Panel Members.

Ms Ettinger furthermore participates in the work of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the Law Council of Australia, the ADR Committee of the NSW Law Society, and the Government Solicitors Committee of the NSW Law Society. She mentors young lawyers, and teaches Ethics at Primary School.  

Mary Walker has been at the forefront of ADR in Australia for the last 30 years. During this period, as a member of an independent Bar, Mary has arbitrated, mediated, negotiated, facilitated multi- party, environmental and community disputes, designed dispute resolution systems and provided expert appraisal and ombudsman services in respect to thousands of disputes referred by solicitors, industry and government bodies and corporations both domestic and international. Mary has mediated over 4,000 matters. Mary is a member of many mediation and arbitration panels including the Supreme Court of NSW and the Singapore International Mediation Centre Panel and mediates for the Supreme Court of The Australian Capital Territory.

In the first intake Mary was certified as an Investor State Mediator by CEDR, London in 2017, the JIMC-Kyoto Mediator Panel, certified IMI Mediator and IMI Mediation Advocate. She is a member of the Supreme Court of New South Wales ADR Steering Committee and is a member of the International Mediation Institute Ethics and Appraisal Committees and was a member of the original International Mediation Institute Independent Standards Commission amongst other bodies. 

Mary is currently Chair of the NSW Bar Association ADR Committee (2018-2021) and previously Chair of the NSW Bar Association Arbitration and ADR Committee (1996-1999). Mary was previously Chair of the Law Council of Australia (LCA) Expert Standing Committee on ADR (2004-2013), Chair of the LCA International Law Section (ILS) ADR Committee (2013-2016), is currently Chair of the LCA Federal Litigation and Dispute Resolution Section ADR Committee (2013-2023)

Joanne is a leading engineering, construction and infrastructure expert with 40 years' experience in the private and public sectors. Joanne has worked as part of NSW Government legal and commercial teams delivering major road, tunnel and bridge projects and has an extensive background working with Federal and State Governments in the property, transport, defence and education industries.

Joanne's seniority and specialist experience in procurement and dispute resolution on complex infrastructure and construction related projects, adds a unique blend of expertise and capability to all forms of procurement and issues resolution.

Glen Pauline (BA, LLB (Hons)) first signed the Bar Roll in 2001, reading with Tim J North (Q.C). He practises in commercial and workplace relations disputes, and mediation, including:

• Employment law matters in the Courts and Fair Work Commission including unfair and unlawful dismissal proceedings, adverse action claims, reasonable notice claims, workplace prosecutions and discrimination claims;
• Industrial relations in the building and construction industry including unlawful industrial action, coercion, discrimination and right of entry;
• Franchising disputes, in particular Franchising Code of Conduct issues;
• Commercial contract disputes including enforcement of guarantees, leases and hire purchase agreements. 

Glen is experienced in all facets of litigation including drafting complex pleadings, witness statements and submissions, and appearing at interlocutory applications, mediations, conciliations, trials (alone and led) and appeals.

Glen is a Nationally Accredited Mediator and a panel mediator for the Office of the Franchising Mediation Adviser (OFMA). Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman (ASBFEO), Victorian Small Business Commissioner (VSBC) and Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal (VCAT).  For further information about Glen's cases and practice experience and mediation services, view Glen's personal website here.