Family Law Arbitration
You will hear about the current operation of the new National Arbitration List and from former Family Court judges and expert arbitrators on rules, regulations, grounds for appeals, preparing for and running an arbitration and future reform. The Family Court and Federal Circuit Court have now taken steps to formalise alternative dispute resolution for property matters, so it’s timely to discuss these changes how you can elevate your family law arbitration skills.
Description
Attend and earn 3 CPD units including:
2 units in Substantive Law
1 unit in Professional Skills
This program is applicable to practitioners from all States & Territories
Once seminars are completed, delegates from Western Australia may apply to The Law Society of Western Australia for family law specialist accreditation points. Each application is subject to approval by the Accreditation Committee on a case by case basis and approval is not guaranteed. Your request for points form and attached materials can be emailed to accreditation@lawsocietywa.asn.au
Chair: The Hon. Diana Bryant AO QC
3.00pm to 3.45pm: Rules, Regulations and Registration
- Court ordered arbitrations and other private arbitrations
- Registering an award
- Appeals and reviews
- Ethical issues
Presented by The Hon. Michelle May AM QC, Level 14 Quay Central
3.45pm to 4.30pm: Preparing for and Running an Arbitration Hearing: The Nuts and Bolts
- The preliminary meeting/telephone conference
- The hearing
- On the papers or with cross examination
- On a video conferencing platform or face to face
- The advantages and disadvantages of arbitration in family law
Presented by Maurice Edwards, Special Counsel, Watts McCray Lawyers; Accredited Family Law Specialist, Registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP), Nationally Accredited Mediator and Accredited Arbitrator
4.30pm to 4.40pm: Break
4.40pm to 4.50pm: The Role of AIFLAM in Family Law Arbitration
Presented by Andrew Davies, Partner, O’ Sullivan Davies Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Family Law; Chair of Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM)
4.50pm to 5.30pm: The Future of Family Law Arbitration: The Australian Law Reform Commission Report
Presented by The Hon. Michelle May AM QC, Level 14 Quay Central and Andrew Davies, Partner, O’ Sullivan Davies Lawyers; Accredited Specialist in Family Law; Chair of Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM)
5.30pm to 6.15pm: The National Arbitration List
Presented by The Hon. Justice Steven Andrew Strickland, Appeals Division, Family Court of Australia
Presenters
The Hon. Diana Bryant AO QC
The Honourable Diana Bryant AO QC is a former Chief Justice of the Family Court of Australia and before her appointment was the inaugural Chief Federal Magistrate of Australia, the head of the Federal Magistrates' Court. She has practiced in family law since 1977 and retired as Chief Justice on 12 October 2017 reaching the constitutional retirement age of 70. She currently holds the following positions; Chair of the Board of the World Congress on Family Law and Children’s Rights Inc; President of the Graduate Union of the University of Melbourne Inc; Chair of the National Centre Against Bullying; Member of the International Association of Child Law Researchers; Member of the International Family Law Arbitration Scheme. Ms Bryant received a Centenary Medal in 2001 and was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia in 2012 for services to the judiciary and to the advancement of women in the law and was Patron of Australian Women Lawyers until her retirement as Chief justice.
The Hon. Michelle May AM QC
Having retired from the Bench in 2017, as Senior Judge of the Full Court of the Family Court of Australia, Michelle May has returned to the Bar to practice in alternate dispute resolution. Michelle May is an accredited mediator by the Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM), and a member of the Resolution Institute. Michelle was a barrister for 17 years before her appointment as a judge. Other roles include the President of the AIJA, Chair of the Judge's Forum of the International Bar Association, a Fellow of the Australian Academy of law and the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Most recently in June 2017, she was appointed a member of the General Division of the Order of Australia
Maurice Edwards
Maurice Edwards is an Accredited Family Law Specialist, Registered Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner (FDRP), Nationally Accredited Mediator and Accredited Arbitrator. He is a Collaborative Family Lawyer and is President of the Greater Sydney Collaborative Family Law Group. Maurice is a Public Notary and a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Notaries. Maurice has developed an expertise in International Family Law parenting matters and has represented clients in cases under the Hague Child Abduction Convention in the Family Court of Australia, the Full Court of the Family Court and the High Court of Australia. He has trained in Japan specifically in the mediation of disputes relating to the Abduction Convention. Maurice is named in the Doyles Guide of Leading Family Law Mediators - NSW, 2019. Maurice has 35 years’ experience in family law and is Special Counsel at Watts McCray Lawyers.
Andrew Davies
Andrew Davies graduated from the University of Western Australia with a B. Juris and LLB and was subsequently admitted to the Supreme Court of Western Australia and the High Court of Australia. Andrew has been practising Family Law for over 30 years and a founding principal of O'Sullivan Davies rated nationally by Doyle's Guide as WA's best Family Law Firm 2015. He is nationally accredited as a Family Law Specialist and a Mediator and has a particular interest in financial settlements and international family law. This has involved him working with clients and lawyers from many overseas countries. Andrew has presented numerous papers and lectures at national and international conferences and has been a guest lecturer at Murdoch University Law School. He is also a Family Dispute Resolution Practitioner registered with the Australian Attorney General's Department (FDRP), a fellow of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (IAML), former Chair and Australian representative of the Family Law & Family Rights Section of LawAsia and former Chair of Australian Institute of Family Law Arbitrators and Mediators (AIFLAM). Andrew is a Member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP).