Kōrero - April 2022

Some snippets from our monthly newsletter which features the latest news and industry insights. To keep up to date with our events and education calendar, head HERE.

IN BRIEF - with Rachael Douglas

Tēnā koutou katoa,
 
Three weeks into the role as Acting General Manager, and I couldn’t be enjoying the challenge more! It’s been fantastic engaging with more AMINZ members and getting stuck into a number of initiatives. 

We are thrilled to have announced the recipients of the 2022 AMINZ Scholarships last month – a big congratulations to Diana Qiu and Madison Dobie. These fantastic young practitioners are making their mark on the dispute resolution sector already, and we are delighted to be able to work closely with them over the next 12 months. Now in its second successful year, a big thank you to Mark Kelly for this initiative and making the programme such a huge success.

Something we know that will be of great value to the next generation of practitioners is a Mentoring Programme. If you are interested in working with us on a pilot programme, please reach out. We would very much value your input.

In terms of membership, imposter syndrome can be a challenging mountain to climb for those considering applying. We are working on changing some of the wording on the application forms to remove this barrier to entry and encourage more practitioners to engage with the Institute. One of the most common questions we receive is about the various routes to membership. To combat this, we have developed a visual guide to provide an overview of how you can move through the Institute’s membership levels. This will be available on our website in the coming weeks.

Things are looking up in the world of events and training. With more movement permitted and the borders reopening, it is now safe for the team to reinvigorate our network meetings. Keep an eye out for these in-person events happening in your area. They are fantastic opportunities to connect and discuss leading ADR topics and we would love to see you at one of them. We won’t be abandoning online platforms altogether, however, with the last few years showing us how much learning can happen from the comfort of our couches. We are looking at developing a webinar Q&A series with some of our most senior practitioners. Passing on knowledge to the next generation of leaders is paramount and AMINZ has an important role to play in helping ensure this valuable expertise is accessible to all.

Many of you have expressed interest in the AMINZ Awards Dinner happening 3 August at the Park Hyatt in Auckland. This is going to be a fantastic evening and an opportunity for us all to finally get together in person, celebrate and connect after what has been a tumultuous two years. I look forward to catching up with you all there!

Please keep an eye out for the upcoming Members’ Survey. The results assist in developing the business plan and enables the team to streamline our areas of work to ensure we are focussing on initiatives that will bring the greatest benefit to you. After all, it is your Institute – and your feedback is of significant value. There will be one free ticket to the Awards Dinner up for grabs for those who complete the survey, so I encourage you to take a moment and share your thoughts once it hits your inbox!

Lastly, thank you to those who have already paid their subs for the coming year. These play such an important role in assisting us deliver valuable benefits to our members and the ADR sector as a whole.

Ngā mihi,
Rachael

For those of you who I have not yet met, I thought I would take this opportunity to also share a little bit about me.

I have 17 years' experience working in Government and Local Government. I started in these roles at the ripe age of 15 (do the math and you may guess my age!). Over this time, I have enjoyed working within organisations to make changes that enable them to work more efficiently and effectively. I am thrilled to be appointed as the Acting General Manager at AMINZ and hope to continue to bring real value to and grow ADR in Aotearoa.

I live in Ngatea on the Hauraki Plains (a blink and you miss it town!) with my husband Neil and my daughters Harper (4) and Riley (2). I’m looking forward to engaging with you all and hopefully seeing you at some of the upcoming events. If you would like to touch base with me, my line is always open on office@aminz.org.nz

PILOT: Online dispute resolution for disputes relating to domain names

Domain Names Commission Limited (DNCL) are excited to pilot online dispute resolution for disputes relating to domain names. Using the Immediation platform, DNCL has developed a bespoke service allowing parties to use e-negotation or online mediation to find resolultion. This fully funded service is will be piloted for 6 months.

For more information on the service, check out their website HERE.

Honouring a pioneer of international arbitration in New Zealand

Sir David Williams KNZM, QC is a pioneer of arbitration in New Zealand. He has served as arbitrator in over 150 international arbitrations and is rated among the best international arbitrators in the world. On 16 February 2022, AMINZ held Arbitration Day in honour of Sir David and his enormous contribution to the development of arbitration in New Zealand. ‍A Special Volume of the Auckland University Law Review containing select papers from Arbitration Day has since been published in Sir David’s honour.

Read more about the day and the Volume in this piece written by Dr Anna Kirk and published by Bankside Chambers below.