For Lawyers

Our team provides support not only directly to clients but also to their legal counsel.

We provide:

advice to lawyers around process options;
training in relation to the processes we offer; and
ongoing support and case management for any active cases with a dedicated case manager.

Contact us today by completing the form on this page and we can make a time to discuss how we can best help you in your practice.

The Brain Science of Conflict

by Catherine Green | 12/07/2019 | Counselling, Elder Mediation, Family Law, FDR Mediation, Mediation, Voice of the Child | 0 Comments

Yesterday, we at the FDR Centre were delighted to co-host with NZDRC two sessions with Kathryn Berkett learning all about the neuroscience behind conflict. Sounds complicated? Luckily Kathryn is absolutely brilliant at communicating the science in a completely...

Child support to become fairer for sole parent beneficiaries from 1 July 2023

by Virginia Bonanni | 31/05/2022 | FDR Centre, FDR Mediation, Mediation | 0 Comments

By Kate Holland Changes announced last week as part of the 2022 budget will affect how child support is paid to parents who receive a benefit at the sole parent rate. Starting 1 July 2023, child support payments will be passed on in full to these parents without the...

How To Stay Calm During Difficult Conversations

by Virginia Bonanni | 17/12/2021 | Counselling, Family Law, FDR Centre, FDR Mediation, Mediation, Relationship Property, Trusts and Estates, Voice of the Child | 0 Comments

No-one really likes difficult conversations. But they are everywhere. They can be at work, the dentists’ office (it cost how much?!), the hairdressers (uh, yes, it looks great!) and of course, at home. The conversations are all floating out there, always waiting for...

A child’s right to participate in family dispute proceedings

by Virginia Bonanni | 02/12/2021 | FDR Centre, FDR Mediation, Mediation, Voice of the Child | 0 Comments

A child's right to participate in family dispute proceedings is recognised in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and has been given effect to in legislation such as the Care of Children Act 2004 (COCA). The recently passed Family Court (Supporting Children...

Supreme Court Provides Valuable Guidance on Relationship Property Disputes

by Virginia Bonanni | 12/11/2021 | Family Law, FDR Centre, Mediation, Relationship Property | 0 Comments

By Melissa Perkin. Case Overview The Supreme Court has recently released its decision in Preston v Preston[1], providing valuable guidance in relationship property disputes and the application of section 182 of the Family Proceedings Act 1980, which empowers a court...

Changes Made to Recovering Child Support from Overseas-based Parents

by Virginia Bonanni | 01/11/2021 | Sample | 0 Comments

In 2019, there were approximately 16,700 overseas-based parents with child support obligations to New Zealand children. Although the vast majority, about 12,500, lived in Australia where New Zealand has had good reciprocal arrangements for collecting these payments...

Grandparents and FDR Mediation

by Virginia Bonanni | 02/10/2021 | FDR Centre, FDR Mediation, Mediation, Voice of the Child | 0 Comments

By Hannah Aziz. It is widely recognised that grandparents play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren. When family disputes arise, grandparents can often feel left out in the cold and unsure of their legal options, or what access they may have to...

Bill to better support children in the Family Court passes third reading by a majority!

by Virginia Bonanni | 17/08/2021 | FDR Centre, FDR Mediation, Mediation, Voice of the Child | 0 Comments

By Maria Cole. In a recent Beehive press release the Justice Minister announced that the Family Court (Supporting Children in Court) Legislation Bill (the Bill) has passed its third reading and is set to come into law. Justice Minister Faafoi said “The Bill will...

The Trusts Act 2019: keeping it in the family

by Virginia Bonanni | 21/07/2021 | Family Law, FDR Centre, Trusts and Estates | 0 Comments

By Maria Cole. No-one likes to have their dirty laundry aired in public. Sadly, it has been all too common for parties in family trust and estate disputes, to find their private family affairs made public and become the topic of law journal articles and gossip at...

Penalties and child support – What the new law means for you

by Virginia Bonanni | 19/04/2021 | FDR Centre, FDR Mediation, Mediation | 0 Comments

By Nashi Ali and Melissa Perkin. The child support scheme affects approximately 135,000 carers, 166,000 liable parents and 185,000 qualifying children. In 2019 it was reported that there was $2.2 billion in child support debt. A crippling $1.6 billion of this debt was...

FAQ’S – Penalties and child support – What the 2021 law changes mean

by Virginia Bonanni | 19/04/2021 | FDR Centre, FDR Mediation, Mediation | 0 Comments

Following the 2021 changes to child support laws, there are potentially significant changes to the way liable parents are now exposed to penalties under the child support regime. We have created a series of FAQs with answers to help understand the changes. When do the...