Kate Hesson

Council Member
On Council since August 2020

Kate’s focus is on consensus-based dispute resolution - variations along the spectrum from facilitation to mediation.

Kate was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in 2000 and practised in the areas of commercial and property law until 2018. Now she has a ‘portfolio career’ encompassing a variety of industries and roles such advocacy work in the commercial fishing sector, governance and legal consulting. She is relatively new to the world of “ADR” but is keen to contribute and connect to grow the AMINZ community.

Kate has a strong interest in using alternative dispute resolution as a preventative tool - i.e. helping people resolve conflict before it escalates beyond repair. Having only ever been in Court once (for her admission), Kate has a broader perspective on how ADR can be used beyond the traditional part it plays in the litigation process. For example, she has used ADR practices in education, health and family businesses. Kate wishes to encourage people from a diverse background to join AMINZ.

Kate is a Southerner, based in Dunedin, working through her consulting company Hesson Consultancy Limited. She can withstand the cold but does not roll her “R”s. She is always up for a chat with new ADR practitioners.

Council Projects and Roles

Audit and Risk Committee, Review of the AMINZ Constitution, Membership, Dunedin Network Co-ordinator.