with Anthony Lo Surdo SC, FCIArb, Campbell Bridge SC, Damien McDonald, Alistair Wyvill SC, and
Amber Williams
Thursday, 21 March 2024 | 5pm – 6.30pm CST | William Forster Chambers |Hybrid | (registration and light refreshments from 5:00 pm to 5:30 pm, followed by the seminar from 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm)
Join us for an event to introduce the fundamentals of commercial arbitration and its legal framework. It will examine the implementation of expedited arbitration rules in Australia and globally, focusing on their role in efficiently resolving small-scale commercial disputes.
The seminar will also present the Resolution Institute's new expedited arbitration rules and a tailored scheme for the County Court of Victoria, aiming to adjust the arbitration process to fit the specific needs of each case.
The aim is to encourage dialogue among businesses, legal professionals, and courts in the Northern Territory about the potential benefits of expedited arbitration. The discussion will focus on how these methods could be adapted to help local businesses settle disputes more quickly, cost-effectively, and fairly.
Speakers
Anthony Lo Surdo SC, FCIArb
Anthony Lo Surdo SC is an independent arbitrator, mediator and expert determiner practising from 8 Wentworth Chambers, Sydney, Lonsdale Chambers, Melbourne, William Forster Chambers, Darwin and Outer Temple Chambers, London and Dubai. He is a Fellow, Resolution Institute and accredited by it as a Grade 1 Arbitrator. He is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and of the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration and also qualified as an arbitrator in Dubai and in PNG. He is a panel member of several leading world arbitral institutions. He has been described by Doyle’s Guide in 2018-2023 as a leading Australian arbitration silk. He is accredited as a mediator under the National Mediation Accreditation System and as an Advanced Mediator by Resolution Institute. He is also certified as a mediator by the International Mediation Institute, the Singapore International Mediation Institute and by the Supreme and National Courts of PNG. He has been described by Doyle’s Guide in 2017-2023 as a leading mediator in NSW. He has been appointed as arbitrator in over 100 domestic and international procedures and has mediated hundreds of disputes. For further information: Visit website
Campbell Bridge SC
Campbell Bridge SC, with 40 years as a barrister and appointed Senior Counsel in 1998, has a broad practice across trial and appellate advocacy in Australia. His work spans commercial and common law, class actions, professional negligence, and more. A significant part of his recent work involves mediation, recognized in Best Lawyers 2019 for ADR. Campbell has mediated hundreds of disputes in Australia and Asia, often involving cross-cultural negotiation and contractual issues. He has acted as Counsel Assisting in a Royal Commission, facilitated expert witness conclaves, and spoken at numerous conferences on negotiation and dispute resolution, particularly with a focus on Asia.
Damien McDonald
Damien is a barrister and arbitrator at William Forster Chambers focusing on commercial litigation and arbitration. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration. Damien also practices as a counsel and arbitrator in international arbitration cases from Prince’s Chambers in Hong Kong and Outer Temple Chambers in London.
Alistair Wyvill SC
Alistair Wyvill SC is head of chambers at William Forster Chambers. He is a barrister focusing on commercial and construction law and constitutional, administrative, and human rights law cases. Alistair is also a trained mediator with experience in various forms of alternative dispute resolution, both in Australia and the UK. He has actively contributed to legal education and advocacy training in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Amber Williams, CEO, Resolution Institute (joining virtually)
Amber Williams is the CEO of Resolution Institute, the largest professional membership, training and accreditation organisation for dispute resolvers across Australia and New Zealand. She has held this role since November 2019.
A strategic leader with a diverse background in both the private and public sectors, Amber was the CEO of the New South Wales Law Enforcement Conduct Commission and Chief Human Resources Officer for the New South Wales Department of Justice prior to her appointment as CEO of Resolution Institute.
Amber’s current role as CEO of Resolution Institute is to work with the Board in setting and delivering the strategic direction of Resolution Institute, and to work in the interests of members to grow services and expand the profile of Resolution Institute and dispute resolution within the community.
Amber holds a Master of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations from University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) from Macquarie University. She is a certified member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Thanks to William Forster Chambers for generously hosting this event.
