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.
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
A new Constitution was adopted at the LEADR AGM at the end of 2010. This Constitution will mean more opportunities for members to participate in LEADR activities.
LEADR is a membership organisation governed by a Board
of Directors. Directors are elected representatives from New Zealand and Australian states in which LEADR has chapters. The responsibilities
of the Board are set out in LEADR's Constitution.
Directors are elected for a two year term to promote medium and long term planning.
Current board members elected at the AGM on 2 December 2011 are:
Name
Margaret Halsmith
LEADR Chair, Margaret Halsmith has run her mediation practice since 1995 providing mediation for individuals, business and government. She has been an active member of the WA Chapter for many years and a Board member since 2004 and Chair of the Board since 2007. She is committed to the promotion and facilitation of the development, acceptance and usage of ADR. Margaret is a member of NADRAC.
Andrew Cannon
LEADR Vice-Chair, Dr Andrew Cannon AM, Deputy Chief Magistrate and Senior Mining Warden in South Australia, introduced court annexed mediation into the court in 1995. He manages therapeutic and restorative justice programs, including Aboriginal Sentencing Conferences which combine victim offender conferencing with the Nunga court model. He is an adjunct Professor at Flinders and Muenster Universities.
David Watt
LEADR Treasurer & Secretary, David Watt has specialised in providing forensic accounting expertise to lawyers and their clients over the past 18 years. Previously a Partner with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, David's assignments have included insurance litigation, commercial litigation, Family Law matters and fraud investigations.
Adam Butt
Adam Butt commenced legal practice at Allens Arthur Robinson in 2007. He has mediated commercial and community matters and acted on native title and Aboriginal land claim disputes. Adam has worked with the judges at the ICTY on Prosecutor v Slobodan Milošević and undertaken advanced negotiation training at Harvard University. Currently Adam is a senior associate at Clayton Utz and works with international arbitrator Prof Michael Pryles.
Carole Grace
Carole Grace has 22 years continuous experience as a conflict resolution practitioner. She is a nationally accredited mediator, and a Conflict Coach trained by LEADR in the CINERGY® model and by La Trobe University.
Her experience includes Victorian and Commonwealth government mediation and conciliation panels, private practice, coaching in mediation training and in mentoring new mediators.
Annabel James
Annabel James currently works for the Mediation Service in the New Zealand Department of Labour. Annabel is member of LEADR’s advanced panel of mediators and is accredited to the Australian National Mediator Standards. Annabel has a law degree from Victoria University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution from Massey University and has worked as a lawyer, conciliator, facilitator, negotiation trainer and in HR.
Carol Powell
Carol Powell is a 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 NZ representative on the LEADR Accreditation Committee.
Michael Stewart
Michael Stewart is a former solicitor and a nationally accredited mediator who provides mediation, conflict coaching and workplace training. He was instrumental in getting the Tasmanian chapter of LEADR up and running. Michael has been a member of LEADR for fours years and is committed to reducing the isolation of mediators and to promoting mediation services.
Sue Waterhouse
Sue Waterhouse, mediator with the Community Justice Centre, NSW since 1994. This has included delivering training within CJC and to various NSW Government Departments. Full time Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner since 2007. Sue established the Blue Mountains Mediator Practice Workshop, and the Central Coast Practice Workshop to support skill development for newly trained mediators who may wish to prepare for Accreditation. Sue contributes to training with LEADR.
The LEADR Michael Klug Award is presented annually by the LEADR Board to any person or persons who have in the previous 12 months contributed towards the peaceful resolution of conflict in the best interests of the community.
The Honourable Murray Kellam AO (right) was the recipient of the 2012 LEADR Michael Klug Award in recognition of his work educating the judiciary overseas, in the area of juvenile justice and human rights for childrent hrough his work with UNICEF in Bangladesh, Mongolia and Myanmar (Burma). Read more >>
In 2011 Magistrate Michael King accepted the Award for his work with Indigenous Australians and in the field of therapeutic jurisprudence. Read more >>
Dr Stella Cornelius accepted the inaugural Award in 2010 for her work with the Conflict Resolution Network. Read more >>
The LEADR Michael Klug Award was inaugurated in 2010 through the generosity of Michael Klug, a managing partner in Clayton Utz and LEADR’s Founding Vice-Chair. As well as being Vice Chair from 1989 until 1995, Michael Klug was Chair in 1996 and a Director for nine and a half years during the period 1989-2001.
LEADR Fellow
The LEADR Fellow is an ambassador for LEADR within the Chapter network and the broader community. The Fellow represents ADR to the community and to government and identifies opportunities for LEADR to promote its goals for the benefit of its members and the community.
The current LEADR Fellow is Tom Howe QC (right), Chief Counsel, Dispute Resolution with the Australian Government Solicitor (AGS). Read more >>
Past LEADR Fellows are: Geoff Sharp, Joanna Kalowski and The Honourable Tony Fitzgerald.
LEADR objectives
LEADR aims to:
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:
Dispute resolution practitioners and ADR processes
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
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
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 for both LEADR accreditation and the national accreditation system
Publishing a regular e-newsletter LEADR Update which provides news, articles and podcasts on ADR issues
Providing ADR resources and ongoing continuing professional development to ADR professionals
Providing resources for mediators and clients, including standard
mediation agreements and mediation clauses for inclusion in contracts
and agreements
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
Assists organisation develop effective dispute resolution and complaints handling systems
Providing advice and assistance in developing specialist panels of
mediators to meet the needs of particular industries and organisations
Promoting expanded use of alternative dispute resolution through
outreach to organisations and sectors who could benefit from ADR
Preparing research and submissions on ADR.
Code of Ethics
In joining LEADR, members commit to adhere to a Code of Ethics. If a member breaches this Code, the Board considers the breach and the appropriate steps to address it. These steps include resolving it informally by ADR or by investigation and discipline.
LEADR welcomes compliments, suggestions and complaints. You can call, email or write to us.
LEADR believes that each of these forms of feedback enables us to improve and extend the services we offer. It also enables Members to engage in continuous improvement in their delivery of high quality, professional ADR, education and advice.
LEADR commits:
to listen carefully, to ask questions respectfully and to respond appropriately in a timely manner
to keep appropriate records
In the case of complaints:
to address them even handedly and to follow the principles of natural justice
to maintain confidentiality about the people concerned, the content of the complaint and the process used to resolve it, unless required by law to do otherwise
to keep those involved informed of the progress of the complaint
to apply a clear internal procedure so that all complaints are addressed in a fair, consistent and timely manner
to reflect on and learn from feedback and, as a result, to initiate appropriate steps to lead to improved delivery of ADR services
The Honourable Murray Kellam AO (right) was the recipient of the 2012 LEADR Michael Klug Award in recognition of his work educating the judiciary overseas, in the area of juvenile justice and human rights for childrent hrough his work with UNICEF in Bangladesh, Mongolia and Myanmar (Burma). 
The LEADR Fellow is an ambassador for LEADR within the Chapter network and the broader community. The Fellow represents ADR to the community and to government and identifies opportunities for LEADR to promote its goals for the benefit of its members and the community.