Following the conference on “Considering possible settlement: Asian parties in court”, on 19 May 2025, this second conference on “Mediating Between and With Asian Parties in Dispute” will tackle the practical obstacles to Asian parties settling when it is in their best interest to do so, by:
- Remedying any information gap about ADR option(s) or lack of knowledge of mediators who have expertise to assist;
- Informing us as to what Asian parties lack knowledge of concerning ADR and mediation to ensure those gaps can be plugged in future; and
- Encouraging Asian lawyers and non-lawyer Asian leaders to train as mediators and in ADR since their cultural and language skills and the respect in which they are held in their own community means they can play a pivotal role in resolving disputes which would otherwise go to court.
The Ministry for Ethnic Communities is partnering by inviting Asian leaders and groups on the Ministry’s database. The Ministry of Justice will be sending a team to the Conference to ensure that learnings about what Asian Parties can best benefit from knowing about mediation and alternative dispute resolution are taken on board and can be considered for inclusion in the court website, interpreted into various Asian languages’.
This session will be particularly relevant for:
- Asian parties currently in or anticipating dispute who wish to understand mediation as an alternative resolution method to court proceedings.
- Lawyers representing Asian clients, on how to guide clients through the mediation process in ways that align with cultural expectations and commercial realities.
- Asian lawyers and non-lawyer respected Asian leaders interested in becoming mediators, with discussion of pathways to accreditation and how to bring cultural fluency and bilingual strengths to enhance successful dispute resolution in mediation.
Date: 14 August, 2025
Time: 5:00pm to 7:00pm
Venue: Chapman Tripp, Level 34/15 Customs Street West, Auckland Central.
Chaired by Dr Mai Chen, Barrister and President of NZ Asian Lawyers, the speakers are:
- Hon Kit Toogood KC, former High Court judge and expert mediator
- Panel Discussion chaired by Anna Fuiava (Partner at Denham Bramwell Lawyers, AMINZ 2023 Determinative Scholar with: Margaret Chen, Dr Heida Donegan, Daniel Kalderimis KC and Mark Kelly
- Mervin Singham – CEO of Ministry for Ethnic Communities
- Clayton Kimpton – CEO of The Law Association of New Zealand Conference wrap up – Improving dispute resolution for Asian Communities
- Yvonne Mortimer-Wang – Barrister and Co-Chair of NZBA’s Advocacy Committee and member of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, NZBA – will summarise the key findings from the preliminary interviews done with mediators.
The conference will conclude with drinks and networking, providing an opportunity for attendees to connect with peers, and build relationships across the mediation, legal, and community sectors.
The complexity and diversity of experiences among Asian parties in dispute mean that identifying who holds relevant expertise, experience, and insight has not always been straightforward.
As part of the event, participants will receive key findings from a briefing report that draws on the experiences and perspectives of mediators with expertise of dispute resolution with Asian parties
We invite mediators with experience working with Asian parties to contact Mai Chen or Yvonne Mortimer-Wang to provide thier expertise and to be interviewed for the research study for the Michael and Suzanne Borrin Foundation Project. The study explores key issues relating to Asian parties in dispute.
Sponsored by :
- The Law Association of New Zealand
- Ministry for Ethnic Communities – Te Tari Matawaka
- Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand Inc – Te Mana Kaiwhakatau, Takawaenga o Aotearoa
- Chapman Tripp
- Ministry of Justice – Tahu o te Ture
