Cutting the Cost of Conflict (since 1994)

  • A single pragmatic, understandable, fair Process.
  • Maximum time to deliver a Legally Binding Outcome – 6 Weeks.
  • Pre-agreed, fixed fees range from $5,000 – $20,000 max. (+GST), based on complexity.
  • Optimal process for Personal and Family Conflicts, and most Civil Law Disputes.
  • No limit to claim value and very good for $Nil value conflicts.

Resolving Disputes (since 1994)

We’ve facilitated dispute resolution processes that satisfy the real needs of humans, families, and businesses in conflict, for over 30 years.

Few people enjoy being in conflict. Most want it over as quickly as possible through an efficient, comprehensible, and fair process that’s reasonably priced.

From thousands of disputes, ranging from families and partnerships to large commercial matters, we believe that most parties, and most disputes, are best served by a composite process called Solution-Oriented Dispute Resolution (SODR).

Our Promise

We will resolve your dispute with a legally enforceable Agreement or Determination, for a fixed and agreed fee of $5,000 to $20,000 (+ GST), in less than 6 weeks. Every Party will feel heard and empowered to engage in the resolution of their own dispute or conflict. Most will be satisfied they’ve achieved the best possible outcome they could have expected, under all the circumstances.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (“ADR”) vs Litigation

Even simple disputes can take 2 to 5 years to litigate in Victoria, and cost from tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees, per party. It’s not “justice” if the process is so delayed, or so expensive, it’s beyond reason or the means of most to access.

Normal individuals, families and businesses need much quicker access to pragmatically fair solutions that don’t require them to sell non-essential body parts to fund a process they never wanted to be in, in the first place. Most people would much rather resolve their disputes and conflicts quickly, to get on with their lives holding onto as much of their dignity and hard-earned cash as possible, with minimal pain and emotional scarring.

Modern ADR offers a complete alternative to litigation – delivering quick, affordable access to trustworthy processes that are easily understood by ordinary citizens. However, only hybrid processes combine the flexibility of Mediation with the finality of Determination.

Hand putting last piece of puzzle with the word solution to fix the problem

Solution-Oriented Dispute
Resolution (SODR)

SODR (pronounced “soda”) is a hybrid ADR process that delivers flexibility and offers guaranteed finality and closure, for a relatively modest, fixed cost.

The process starts out as a Pragmatic Facilitation. It usually ends with a Consensual Agreement between the Parties. If there’s no agreement by a set time, the Facilitator makes a Binding Decision. In either case, the outcome is legally enforceable as a contract.

Process Fees are fixed at the start of the process between $5,000 and $20,000 (+GST). Fees are shared equally between the parties, unless otherwise agreed. Each Party bears their own legal and other costs, if they have any. Nobody gets a nasty surprise!

Result: For almost any dispute SODR’s total time and cost obligations will be less, or much less, than 10% of the likely cost of litigating the same issue through VCAT or the courts.

The rest of the Home Page is OK. It needs a reference to videos / podcasts / blogs and a call to arms.

Contact us now to start your process, or read on

Contact

Testimonials

Business Family Conflict

TD, Melbourne

I was going through my archived emails this morning and I came across this, our last communication from you from nearly 18 months ago. It reminded me of how much work you put into trying to mediate our family situation, and your warnings of what could happen if either side abandoned the process. It will come as no surprise to you to learn that after nearly 18 months we have only just now settled the matter - following 12 months of lawyers’ fees, court appearances and the commencement of a trial that ended in settlement on day one, immediately after our own barrister's opening statement. Ultimately, we spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to get only what we originally sought, and the family has been irreparably broken in the process. It's been horrendous. Now that it’s all over and the dust can start to settle, I do want to pass on our appreciation for your immeasurable efforts in delving into and sorting through the challenges that our family were facing two years ago. Unfortunately, our family were inflexible when flexibility was required, arrogant when humility was needed, and unforgiving when forgiveness was called for. I have occasionally seen your Facebook posts and thought that you'd written those pieces specifically about our family! On the one hand, I'm glad we are not alone, but it also makes me sad to think that other families are possibly going through the pain that we suffered. If this message helps just one of them to avoid the same catastrophe, something positive will be achieved.

Family Farm Mediation

VR (SA)

“I was involved in a ghastly dispute over our 4th generation family farm. My husband’s health was failing, and our 3 children were at each other’s throats. I despaired of ever regaining a normal life. Jon facilitated discussions, and mediated endless flashpoints of dispute between 3 generations of family members, until we ended up making decisions, and producing an agreement, we could all live with. I still don’t know how, but he saved our family, and the family farm. Months later I was moaning to a friend about the cost of getting things resolved. He gave me a hard stare before explaining that, many years previously, his family hadn’t taken the right steps, everybody “lawyered up” and the end result was that the farm they were fighting over had to be sold just to cover the legal fees. His family was destroyed and has never reconciled. “Whatever it cost was cheap!” he said.

Commercial Arbitration

GP (Victoria)

“Jon managed an exceedingly challenging arbitration process where, as a small business owner, I was opposed to a large company that formed part of a US-owned group. They used a leading law firm, and expensive barristers, to take a highly aggressive approach that attempted to intimidate me out of my rights, when I just wanted them to work with me to resolve some seriously costly issues they’d created. Jon managed aggressive counsel with calm good humour and an unshakable process discipline that went a long way towards keeping us on the playing field (it was never a “level” field!) until we achieved a sensible, commercial, enforceable outcome through his directions and decisions as an arbitrator. I can’t say I’d ever want to go through a similar process again, but as an alternative to litigation (which I could neither have afforded, nor participated in) it was as good a process as I could have wished for. I recommend Dispute Solutions to anybody who finds themselves in a serious dispute that requires serious management.”

Ready to Resolve
Your Dispute?

“A fight is going on inside me,” said an old man to his son. “It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf is evil. He is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other wolf is good. he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you.”

The son thought about it for a minute and then asked, “Which wolf will win?”

The old man replied simply, “The one you feed.”

– Wendy Mass