FairWay Resolution Scholarship

FairWay Resolution Scholarship

The recipient of the inaugural $10,000 FairWay Resolution Anne Scragg Scholarship for 2015 is Matthew Gale from Auckland.

Currently a Master of Laws candidate at the University of Pennsylvania Law School in Philadelphia, Matthew’s entry for the award entitled “Mediation and the Civil Justice Gap” explored the interplay between courts, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and the challenges associated with a surging tide of people looking for justice.

FairWay’s Chief Executive Greg Pollock said the Scholarship aims to foster best practice and new ideas that ensure the dispute resolution profession remains responsive to New Zealand’s changing society and economy.

“As the pace of business accelerates the need for agile, responsive dispute resolution is increasingly important. This scholarship reflects our long-term commitment to support career development in dispute resolution. We are delighted with the high calibre of applicants for the inaugural award – it bodes well for the profession.”

The scholarship package includes a cash contribution of up to $10,000 towards further study/research into dispute resolution. Finalists were required to submit a 1500 word essay on a dispute resolution topic with entries judged by FairWay Director , Anita Chan QC, Greg Pollock and Anne Scragg, who recently retired from FairWay after 30 years active involvement and leadership in dispute resolution.

Before heading to University of Pennsylvania, Matthew was a senior solicitor at Wilson Harle; an Auckland based commercial litigation and dispute resolution firm, and formerly a Judges’ Clerk at the Auckland High Court. His winning essay explores the perspectives of users of the courts process and objectively reviews the benefits that ADR can offer. Scholarship judges were impressed with his reflections on the application of ADR theory to his practical experiences and his broad grasp of the challenges people face when trying to resolve disputes.

Keen to explore a career in ADR, Matthew will do an internship with FairWay as part of his scholarship package. His essay is published on the FairWay website:
www.fairwayresolution.com

Other finalists for the award were Nathaniel Walker, Keri Morris and Nicola Hartfield.

FairWay is a professional services company that specialises in conflict management helping prevent conflict, through to resolving conflict using alternative dispute resolution techniques.

FairWay currently handles around 12,000 disputes per year, which are spread across work for Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), Telecommunications Dispute Resolution scheme (TDR), the Financial Dispute Resolution Scheme (FDRS) and Family Dispute Resolution (FDR).

ENDS

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