LEADR is an Australasian, not-for-profit membership organisation
formed in 1989 to serve the community by promoting and facilitating the
use of dispute resolution processes including mediation. These processes are generally known as Alternative
Dispute Resolution or ADR.
LEADR accredits mediators and also refers mediators for commercial, employment, family and community/neighbourhood disputes. LEADR provides training in a range of dispute
resolution areas including mediation from basic skills through
to advanced workshops and continuing professional development. These courses are available as public workshops or as in-house customised programs.
LEADR has members throughout Australia, New Zealand and the Asia Pacific region including Indonesia,
Malaysia, India, Thailand, and Japan.
LEADR is loosely affiliated with similar organisations
in other countries.
LEADR is administered from its Head Office at Level 1, 13-15
Bridge Street, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
LEADR Constitution
For a copy of the LEADR Constitution, click here>>
LEADR is a membership organisation governed by a Board
of Directors. Directors are elected representatives from New Zealand and
from all Australian states in which LEADR has chapters. The responsibilities
of the Board are set out in LEADR’s
constitution.
On 6 December 2005 the LEADR Elections were conducted
in accordance with the Constitution. These elections were for the first
time for a two year term for Directors. The two year term is seen as an
opportunity to promote medium and long term planning and follows the constitutional
change approved by the members in 2004.
Current board members are:
Name
Margaret Halsmith
LEADR Chair, Margaret Halsmith, has run her own mediation practice since 1995 providing solo and co-mediations. She has been an active member of the WA Chapter for many years and a Board member for three years. She is committed to the promotion and facilitation of the development, acceptance and usage of ADR.
Jim Macdonald
LEADR Vice-Chair, James (Jim) MacDonald has been the inaugural Director of Mediation at the Adelaide Magistrates Court since 1996. Jim has been an active member of the SA Chapter Executive since 2004. He is a highly experienced mediator, and has also contributed to mediation and other ADR formal training and education both through LEADR and at all three universities in SA.
David Watt
LEADR Treasurer, David Watt is a Partner with Chartered Accounting firm, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu in Forensic, Dispute Solutions. David has specialised in providing forensic accounting expertise to lawyers and their clients over the past 18 years. Assignments have included insurance litigation, commercial litigation, Family Law matters and fraud investigations.
Catherine Davidson
LEADR Secretary, Catherine Davidson specialises in dispute resolution and practices as a mediator, facilitator and conflict management consultant. Mediation experience includes complex contractual disputes, intellectual property, banking, construction, professional negligence, wills, family law and workplace disputes in Australia and the UK. A Director since 2007, Catherine is also a member of the Editorial Team for Update, LEADR’s e-newsletter.
Judy Dell
Judy Dell joined theDepartment of Labour full-time as a mediator in 2005 following four years in private practice when she focused on family law and mediation. Judy has been on the LEADR NZ Board for nine years, four of these as Chair, and has been on the LEADR Board for three years.
Michael Mills
Michael Mills is a commercial litigation partner with Freehills who has been involved with LEADR in various capacities for over 16 years. Michael has served on the National LEADR Board, initially for two years and more recently, for seven years, five of these as Chair. As well as his litigation practice, Michael works as a mediator, advisor and teacher of negotiation and mediation.
Carol Powell
Carol Powell isa barrister, mediator, trainer and dispute resolution consultant. She is on a number of mediation panels and has a busy private mediation practice. She was the first Executive Officer of LEADR NZ and has served on the LEADR NZ Board for 11 years, three of these as Chair, as well as seven years as the NZ representative on the LEADR Board. Carol is also the New Zealand representative on the LEADR accreditation committee.
Hugh Scott-Mackenzie
Hugh Scott-Mackenzie is a member of the Queensland Bar and an experienced mediator. Until June 2003, he was a partner in the Melbourne and Brisbane offices of Mallesons Stephen Jaques specialising in dispute resolution. Hugh has been a LEADR Board member since 2004.
Sally Wiencke
Sally Wiencke specialises in workplace dispute resolution and has over 23 years experience working with complex psychological injury claims. Based in Melbourne, Sally works within a behavioural risk management framework, using her diagnostic skills to assess the conflict and responding with either mediation, conflict coaching, facilitated discussion or a team intervention. Sally is also a sought after coach for mediation training courses.
Serve the community by promoting and facilitating the development,
acceptance and usage of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Promote education and research in ADR
Disseminate information for the benefit of its members and the community
Provide simple and effective access to dispute resolution professionals
Assist organisation in developing effective grievance handling procedures
Ensure excellence in the delivery of ADR solutions to our region through
training, accreditation and development of a national standard for practitioners.
LEADR services
LEADR's services include:
Providing a list on this website of independent mediators and other
dispute resolution practitioners accredited by LEADR
Providing referrals to mediators and other dispute resolution practitioners
on request through our office
Providing advice and assistance in developing specialist panels of
mediators to meet the needs of particular industries and organisations
Facilitating/organising mediations and conciliations
Providing adjudicators in several specialised areas including building
and construction industry payment disputes, domain name disputes, and
determination of GST provisions in long-term non-reviewable contracts
Designing in-house dispute resolution and complaints handling systems
Operating a pro bono mediation service for legally aided parties
Training in key areas of dispute resolution at introductory, basic
and advanced levels
Accrediting mediators on the basis of a competency-based assessment
process
Publishing a regular e-newsletter LEADR Update which provides information
Providing resources for mediators and clients, including standard
mediation agreements and mediation clauses for inclusion in contracts
and agreements and the Australasian Dispute Resolution Service published
in association with Lawbook Co
Providing mediation rooms at our Sydney office
Supporting contact among mediators through conferences and events
including ADR networking meetings in most cities on a regular basis
Organising and hosting a bi-ennial International Conference on ADR
Liaising with other ADR organisations nationally and internationally
Promoting expanded use of alternative dispute resolution through
outreach to organisations and sectors who could benefit from ADR
Preparing research and submissions on ADR
Ethical standards
LEADR members are subject to clearly stated obligations
of ethical behaviour. Failure to comply with these requirements can be
the cause of action by the Board to initiate disciplinary processes.
LEADR members are governed by two key documents in this
regard:
LEADR’s Feedback Scheme is used by LEADR to manage and respond to positive and negative feedback, and includes its complaints handling process.
Feedback is an expression of satisfaction, praise, dissatisfaction, complaint or concern about any aspect of LEADR service, its staff, its members or any ADR practitioner accredited by LEADR. Feedback may be given verbally or in writing, on the phone or in person, or in a feedback survey.
LEADR takes complaints seriously. Our feedback processes are versatile, accessible and easy to use to prevent escalation and restore trust. The scheme aims to resolve complaints at, or as close as possible, to the point of service.
Responses to feedback are prompt and sensitive, and keep the person informed. The scheme’s processes emphasise joint problem solving and communication. All parties have the opportunity to tell their version of events and all feedback and complaints are treated fairly and impartially.
