Panel members
The Retirement Commissioner has approved the following people for appointment by retirement village operators as members of disputes panels. Members are listed in alphabetical order by surname. Where the member is eligible to chair a disputes panel in a disposal dispute, this is noted.
David Carden
LLM, Fellow AMINZ (Arbitration/Mediation), Arbitrators' and Mediators' Panellist AMINZ, Advanced Mediation Panellist LEADR, Member NZ Law Society.
A barrister since 1967, David Carden practises almost exclusively in dispute resolution. David was a Weathertight Homes Resolution Services adjudicator for three and a half years, adjudicating 86 claims.
David has conducted several adjudications under the Construction Contracts Act 2002 and 72 mediations as a mediator. David is on the LEADR panel of mediators and also the mediation panel for the InternetNZ's Domain Name Dispute Resolution Service.David's approach to dispute resolution is to seek a speedy and cost-effective outcome consistent with the respective objectives of the parties. His experience enables effective and focused attention on the issues, facts and processes to achieve outcomes.
Eligible as chair
Contact details
David Carden
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Nigel Dunlop
BA, LLB, Member NZ Law Society.
Nigel has been a lawyer since 1978. He has specialised in litigation and been a barrister since 1995. He is a past president of the Canterbury District Law Society and council member of the New Zealand Law Society.
He is convenor of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, appointed by the Minister of Health, and chair of the Review Panel under the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students appointed by the Secretary for Education.
Nigel specialises in the mediation of disputes ranging from community and family disputes to civil and commercial disputes. Amongst others, he mediates for the Health and Disability Commissioner, the Ministry of Justice, the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service and the .nz Domain Name Commissioner.
Nigel also undertakes arbitrations and investigations.
Eligible as chair
Contact details
Nigel Dunlop
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Claudia Elliott
LLB, Diploma in Business Studies with endorsement in dispute resolution, Master of Business Studies in Dispute Resolution, Member NZ Law Society.
Claudia has been practising as a barrister and solicitor since 1986. She is appointed by the Court to act for the elderly under the Personal and Property Rights Act and as a senior solicitor to lead mediations on behalf of the Family Court. Private individuals and families also employ Claudia to mediate and make decisions on personal and property issues. She is experienced in the practical and legal issues involved in the purchase and sale of retirement village units.
Claudia is the president of the Film and Literature Board of Review, in which she presides over hearings, and makes and writes decisions. Claudia is aware of the need for decisions to be made fairly and promptly.
Eligible as chair
Contact details
Claudia Elliott
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John Green
Fellow AMINZ (Arbitration/Mediation), Arbitrators' and Mediators' Panellist AMINZ, Member AMINZ Adjudication List, Mediation Panellist LEADR, Fellow Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Chartered Arbitrator, Associate Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia.
John has practised as an arbitrator and a mediator since 1990. He has been appointed as an adjudicator, arbitrator or a mediator in more than 900 disputes.
John is a Director and Principal Panel Member of the New Zealand Dispute Resolution Centre (NZDRC), the New Zealand International Arbitration Centre (NZIAC), and the Building Disputes Tribunal (BDT).
John was appointed as a mediator and an adjudicator to the Weathertight Homes Resolution Service in 2003 and continues to act in that capacity.
John is a former President of the Master Builders Association (Auckland) Inc, a founding council member of the Society of Construction Law New Zealand Inc. and a Past President of AMINZ.
Contact details
John Green
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Jenny Leith
LLB, Fellow AMINZ (Arbitration/Mediation), Arbitrators' and Mediators' Panellist AMINZ, Advanced Mediation Panellist LEADR, Member NZ Law Society.
Jenny has been a Tenancy Tribunal adjudicator since 1986 and in general legal practice since 1990 working primarily in the areas of property transactions, trusts, estates, and relationship property including the purchase and sale of retirement village units.
Jenny also works as a mediator and as an arbitrator in a wide range of disputes involving property or commercial issues and relationships. She has been employed as a commissioner (acting alone and as chair of a panel) to hear resource management applications for local authorities.
In managing any dispute process it is important to Jenny that all those involved feel they have had an opportunity to take part, been fairly heard, their view has been considered, and a decision reached without undue delay.
Eligible as chair
Contact details
Jenny Leith
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Susan Robson
BA, LLB, Member NZ Law Society.
Susan is a barrister specialising in employment and public law investigations, inquiries and disputes, and has been a lawyer since 1978. She is a specialist assessor (civil litigation) of the Legal Services Agency and has held the following relevant positions: chief legal adviser with the Commerce Commission; chair of the Social Security Appeal Authority; chair of the Complaints Review Tribunal; and member of the Employment Relations Authority.
Susan is skilled in case management, running dispute hearings, making decisions and writing short, clear, accessible judgments, working within short timeframes, managing very committed disputants and communicating with a wide range of parties to disputes in a manner and language clearly understood by all.
Susan is also skilled in adapting the legal process to the needs of particular disputants, obtaining agreement to a suggested dispute process and ensuring fair outcomes.
Eligible as chair
Contact details
Susan Robson
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Robyn Wilson
LLM (Hons), Diploma in Business Studies (Dispute Resolution), Admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor, member of LEADRS.
Robyn has been a Disputes Tribunal referee since 1993. The role involves adjudication and mediation of a wide range of civil disputes within the District Courts. Claims range from simple motor vehicle accidents to more complex commercial, consumer, trade and neighbourhood disputes.
Robyn has been a convenor and lay member on professional conduct committees for four health authorities under the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act for many years. The committees deal with complaints about health practitioners and concerns about conduct, health and competence.
She spent two years as convenor on committees dealing with complaints about real estate agents with the Real Estate Agents Authority complaints assessment committees that deals with complaints against real estate agents. She has worked on a part-time basis at community law centres and as a lawyer for government dealing with commercial leases and the sale and purchase of public land.
Robyn sees her strengths as being skilled in managing people and processes in hearings that ensure a fair process and appropriate outcome consistent with parties' legal rights. She has a broad range of legal knowledge coupled with excellent analytical and research skills. She has resolved more than 10,000 disputes in her role as a referee.
Contact details
Robyn Wilson
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