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The collaborative experience – the no court alternative
About the session Collaborative Law is an emerging area in Alternative Dispute Resolution that aims to empower the client. It is an innovative approach that allows clients to resolve their differences respectfully, privately and without going to court. In this client centred process using interest based negotiation, the client is able to identify what is important to them, take control of the situation and reach a cost effective and timely outcome that is agreeable to all parties. The session led by Catherine Gale and Professor Tania Sourdin will include a simulation and short commentary with Anne Ardagh.
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Audio recording: Listen to this session (80 mins) >>
In this session a collaborative meeting between two collaborative lawyers and two clients will be simulated followed by a facilitated discussion. This will allow the audience to both observe and question the process so that they can achieve a real and in-depth understanding of the collaborative approach to dispute resolution.
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Tania Sourdin Professor Tania Sourdin is an experienced mediator, conciliator and adjudicator who has published and researched extensively in the area of mediation and ADR. She has provided expert advice regarding collaborative practice and has a particular interest in commercial collaborative practice. Tania is a Professor of Conflict Resolution at The University of Queensland, based in Melbourne and Sydney, Australia. She has extensive experience in conflict resolution, negotiation, alternative dispute resolution, commercial litigation, trade practices and consumer issues and is an active adjudicator and mediator. She is a member of National Alternative Dispute Resolution Advisory Council (for three terms) which advises the Australian Commonwealth Attorney-General on ADR processes. Tania also gave a plenary session: 'Quality in mediation – competing interests >> Anne Ardagh Anne Ardagh is an Associate Professor in Law, Charles Sturt University. She has been a practising mediator since 1993 having originally studied dispute resolution in the United States. She is a member of panels for NSW Community Justice Centres; NSW Legal Aid Commission; NSW Health Conciliation and is a registered family dispute resolution practitioner (FDRP) with the Commonwealth Attorney General. She has developed distance education postgraduate courses in dispute resolution at Charles Sturt University. She is accredited under the National Mediator Accreditation System. |
Catherine Gale
Catherine is a Graduate of The University of Melbourne Law School and has extensive training in Collaborative Law and mediation. She has been assisting Family Law clients to resolve conflicts for more than 30 years.
Cathy lives in Melbourne with her partner and two daughters. She has been involved in many Community organisations over the years.
Catherine has had an extensive involvement with The Law Institute of Victoria. In 1989 she became one of Melbourne’s first accredited family Law Specialists, and then worked on the Law Institute of Victoria’s Specialisation Committee for the following 6 years, to promote the spread of specialisation within the profession.
During the 1990’s, in addition to her legal practice, Catherine was busy raising her two daughters as a single mum, having personally experienced the separation and divorce process.
Catherine served as President of the Law Institute of Victoria in 2006. In 2003, she was first elected to the Council of the Law Institute. In 2006 she became the 4th woman to be elected President in the Institute’s 150 year history. Catherine continues today as a Council member.
In 2008 Catherine opened her own boutique Collaborative Family Law Practice in Melbourne specialising in Alternative Dispute Resolution including mediation and collaborative law. The practice has gone from strength to strength and has changed its name to Resolve Conflict. There are now 5 people working within the practice and in August it will move to its new premises on Williams Street with its own mediation rooms.
Because of her work introducing the collaborative law process to Victoria, Catherine has been appointed Chair of the Law Council of Australia’s National Collaborative Practice Committee and was recently appointed as a Board Member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Catherine also serves on the Executive of the Law Council of Australia. Catherine is actively involved in the training of lawyers in the collaborative process.
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