Case study-a tool for intake
This week I attended a meeting of the Special Interest Group run by VADRA (the Victorian Alternate Dispute Resolution Association). This is a group of professionals interested in dispute resolution and coming together from all different areas and perspectives. There were presentations from experienced practitioners to illustrate their approach to their work, with the aim…
A paradigm shift for fundamental change
A paradigm shift involves a fundamental change in approach or underlying assumptions. It creates a situation in which the usual and accepted way of doing or thinking about something changes completely. There have been those rare individuals who have had the genius to challenge thinking in their time, and create something novel and different as…
Macbeth-Shakespeare on high conflict personalities
MACBETH – Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee. I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible to feeling as to sight? Or art thou but a dagger of the mind, a false creation Proceeding…
Case study-the benefits of conflict coaching
Late last year, a family lawyer asked me to assist as a conflict coach, in supporting one of her clients through his separation. I will call him Brian. Brian and his partner had married later in life and had two children. They had been together for about 12 years and he had been taken by…
Options for resolving family disputes out of court
Recently Resolutions Institute hosted an event that explored the changing landscape for resolving family disputes out of court. This highlighted the range of options available to suit particular situations and the role for lawyers and other professionals as gatekeepers. It is possible and indeed, there would appear to be a responsibility, to be aware of…
Lessons from Shakespeare’s Richard III
Why is Shakespeare as popular today as he was in his own time 400 years ago? Is it the beauty of his language, his incredible ability to paint a picture that captures the imagination so well, his intricate plots so full of suspense and intrigue, his characters, so often larger than life, but so real…
Case study-managing intake for greater insight
Recently, I participated in an FDR with a client, I will call Carl, who wanted to leave behind a very negative personal relationship and achieve a more positive parenting arrangement. During the settlement conference he displayed difficult behaviours that impacted significantly on the process. In hindsight I regret not recognizing the signs which would have…
Conflict prevention rather than cure
As professionals in the area of dispute resolution we acquire significant knowledge regarding the nature of conflict, and develop many skills to assist in managing and dealing with disputes. This week Resolutions Institute hosted a presentation by Olivia Davis and Professor Camilla Baasch Anderson where they suggested that these skills have a much wider application,…
Mindfulness-the power of Now
The notion that it is important to be centred, or internally balanced, to cope well with the stresses and pressures of life, is not new. Nor is the idea that to more effectively assist others to deal with conflict, it is crucial that we have developed self-reflection and learned to manage this ourselves. The ability…
Becoming a changemaker
During the last 30 years, I have often questioned what it means for me to be a lawyer-what do I stand for, and what are the values that are important to me? In hindsight I see that my answer to this question has been consistent, but the struggle to balance out my need to be…