We’re thrilled to welcome international guest Professor Joel Lee from the National University of Singapore to our next Wellington Network Meeting in collaboration with NZ Asian Lawyers.
Professor Lee is the most highly decorated teacher at NUS Law and an acknowledged leader, nationally and internationally, in the field of alternative dispute resolution.
A former student of Dr Mai Chen, President of NZ Asian Lawyers, at Victoria University of Wellington Law School, Professor Lee is also a graduate of Harvard Law School.
He co-pioneered the teaching of negotiation and mediation in universities in Singapore, contributing to the development of mediation in Singapore. He is a principal mediator with the Singapore Mediation Centre and a Master Trainer with Peacemakers.
Professor Lee will be joined by Associate Professor at Victoria University’s Faculty of Law Dr Grant Morris and dispute resolution consultant and AMSI facilitator Nicola Hartfield FAMINZ (Med), bringing together a highly experienced group of practitioners and academics for a topical panel discussion.
Moderated by 2026 AMINZ Scholar (Consensual) Tyson Hullena, the panel will explore current issues and emerging thinking in dispute resolution, offering a blend of international and local perspectives.
“In answering the question whether culture has a significant impact on mediation, Professor Lee states that there has always been a tension between the ‘Universalists’ and the ‘Culturalists.’ The ‘Universalists’ believe that all conflicts are fundamentally universal in nature. Humans manifest universal patterns of behaviour, and a general and universal model of conflict resolution applies by recognising universal human needs and addressing them.”
– Dr Mai Chen, Mediating between and with Asian parties in dispute” [2025] NZLJ 298
This is a valuable opportunity to hear from Professor Lee, alongside leading voices from across the sector.
There will be time for questions and discussion, followed by an opportunity to connect with colleagues over light refreshments.
Everyone is welcome, and there is no cost to attend.
Event Details
Date: Monday 11 May
Time: 5:30-7.30pm
Location: Wellington central (venue TBC)
Please RSVP by Wednesday 6 May.
Professor Joel Lee
Joel Lee is a Professor at the Faculty of Law, the National University of Singapore.
Joel was a member of the International Mediation Institute's Independent Standards Commission and Intercultural Taskforce and was also a key member of the Ministry of Law’s Working Group on International Commercial Mediation. Joel is is the founding Chair of the Board of the Singapore International Mediation Institute. He is also a Certified Trainer of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).
Joel has taught overseas at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), University of Law, Economics and Science of Aix-Marseille (Aix-en-Provence France) and Anglia Law School (UK) and is the co-editor and co- author of the book "An Asian Perspective on Mediation" and the “Singapore Mediation Handbook”, and the General Editor for the Asian Journal on Mediation. In 2011, Joel was awarded the Outstanding Educator Award which is the National University of Singapore's highest teaching award. Joel was also awarded the Singapore’s Public Service Medal in 2023 for his work in promoting mediation.
Dr Grant Morris
Dr Grant Morris (PhD, LLB Hons, BA Hons) is Associate Professor of Law at Victoria University of Wellington.
Dr Morris is an accredited mediator and AMINZ Fellow and has worked as a facilitator and negotiator over the past two decades.
Dr Morris’ research areas include mediation, interest-based negotiation and New Zealand legal history. He has published several books and numerous articles on these subjects, including the recent work, Mediation in New Zealand (2nd ed, Thomson Reuters, 2018).
Nicola Hartfield
Nicola Hartfield FAMINZ(Med) is a dispute resolution and workplace consultant, with over 30 years’ of experience in conflict management, family dispute resolution and mediation.
Previously a contract teacher for the Massey University Dispute Resolution Centre, Nicola regularly presents both nationally and internationally on dispute resolution, mediation skills, and workplace conflicts. She is very active in mediation and consultation across workplace, governance, management, and community contexts.
Nicola completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution followed by achieving Fellowship with both AMINZ and Resolution Institute. She was awarded the 2014 Ann Edge Memorial Prize for excellence in mediation. Nicola was elected as an AMINZ Councillor in 2014, and held the AMINZ Vice Presidency from 2018 to 2020. In 2022 she received the AMINZ Te Tohu Ngākau Nui: Big Heart award for her contributions to the Institute. Nicola is the facilitator of the AMINZ Mediation Skills Intensive.
