As barristers, our goal is to help you resolve disputes so that you can get back to doing what you do best as soon as possible. Resolution, not stress, is the name of the game. Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms such as mediation and arbitration have been gaining in popularity as ways of getting to the end point quickly and cost-effectively, and with the advent of online ADR platforms, there are more options than ever for taking control of the process.

Our members are experts in helping you move your ADR process online. In 2017, Michael Heron KC founded CODR, an online dispute resolution platform for all New Zealanders. The concept was simple: give Kiwis access to expert mediators and arbitrators and the technology to resolve their disputes entirely online. The service was met with glowing reviews and, in 2020, became joined forced with the Australian pioneer, Immediation, to become Immediation New Zealand.

Adapting to ADR online
Chambers members were quick to adapt to online ADR and to harness its many benefits. In some ways, the online experience improves on the traditional, in-person model. Using online ADR allows you to:

Collate and share materials in a dedicated online data room so there’s a single point of access and storage for all relevant information;

Liaise with the mediator and the other side in real time;
Participate in secure, private online meetings with state-of-the-art audio-visual technology available anywhere, anytime;
Utilise private conference rooms (structured to suit your needs as they arise) so you can shift from one meeting room to another when you need to talk to your advisors, the mediator, or your colleagues;
Share screens, documents and presentations with security and ease, so that everyone is (quite literally!) on the same page;
Construct and edit documents, including a settlement agreement, collaboratively online in real time; and
Adapt the process to suit your dispute and your needs.
ADR is usually faster, cheaper, and less intense than going to court. Completing the entire process online allows you to engage anywhere, anytime. If you’d like to know more or find out what option might suit your situation best, get in touch with one of our experts.