You’ll discover effective remedies & solutions to manage significant breaches. Identify & address ‘resist and refuse’ when it arises in your matter with reference to case examples. Hear from experienced practitioners & lawyer for the child as they unlock the secrets to dealing with high conflict cases. Learn how to ensure the Care of Children Act obligations are met, how to identify high risk behaviour & takeaway valuable tips to deal with difficult clients & conflict generally. 

Presenters

Mr. David Amodeo, Barrister, Hobson Chambers
David is a barrister who specialises and practises in all areas of relationship and family law, and has done so for over a quarter of a century. David represents a wide variety of clients, including individuals, families and organisations in situations and proceedings across the wide diversity of situations involving people and property that are encompassed within the relevant jurisdictions. Throughout his time in practise David has presented many seminars to lawyers and other professionals working within the area and continues his involvement in a variety of roles within professional associations working in Aotearoa.

Ms. Rebecca Holm, Barrister, Rebecca Holm Barrister
Rebecca Holm is a Family Lawyer who was admitted to the bar in 1997 (over 25 years ago). Rebecca has a Masters degree in law focusing on dispute resolution and is a senior lawyer for children. Rebecca acts for clients who need assistance with: Relationship property – How property is divided, Parenting Applications for who has the day to day care or contact with a child, Orders preventing removal of a child from New Zealand or relocation applications, Adoptions, Protection orders and Paternity and any other matter heard in the Family court

Ms. Minka Boddé, Director, Alchemy Law
Minka is a Partner at Alchemy Law, a predominantly Family Law practise. While starting out as a general litigation Solicitor, following 8 years away from law raising her own four children, she returned to specialise in Family Law in 2009. Minka represents both parties and children in the Family Court. She provides Mediation privately or through FDR and provides conflict coaching for families experiencing separation. She is committed to assisting clients, children and their families to move through the separation process with the least amount of trauma and damage possible, while ensuring safe outcomes for children. With extensive relevant experience both personally and professionally, Minka dreams of a Family Court system that assists families in maintaining a level of relatedness and co-operation that supports and educates both children and adults to deal with the fracture of their family in an holistic and empowering way.

Ms. Roosje Rabusa, Solicitor, Ward Adams Bryan-Lamb
Roosje joined the firm in June 2021 after relocating to the bottom of the south from Christchurch. In 2017, she graduated from a Bachelor of Commerce double majoring in Accounting and Finance from the University of Canterbury. She then returned to University at the beginning of 2018 to study a Bachelor of Laws for which she graduated with at the end of 2020. Roosje was admitted to the bar in July 2021. Having begun her legal career predominately in family law, Roosje is passionate about working with clients to find pragmatic solutions and hopes to make a positive impact in their lives. Roosje is enthusiastic about the law and loves a challenge. Outside of work Roosje enjoys reading books, shopping and catching up with friends. Having lived in Auckland, Brisbane (Australia) and Christchurch, she is enjoying the more relaxed lifestyle in Invercargill and exploring Southland.

Ms. Jill Goldson, Consultant & Therapeutic Mediator for Separated Families, Director/ Consultant, The Family Matters Centre
Jill Goldson is Director of The Family Matters Centre in Auckland. She is a renowned and multiply awarded therapeutic mediator with specialist skills in complex family disputes which frequently constellate around parent child contact problems. Jill has over thirty five years of working with families, in UK and Australasia, and has extensive qualifications and awards. For a decade she was a senior lecturer and curriculum designer for undergraduate programmes in in tertiary studies in counselling and social work. She has published academically (publications available on request) and has recently published a book in 2025 Child Inclusion in Parenting Dispute Media on: The Key to Keeping Family Separation Out of Court which is being received well and which is also now translated into Spanish and Ukranian. A consultant to the NZ Ministry of Justice on family justice reform in 2019, her work on child inclusive practice, and attendant lobbying expedited an amendment to NZ family law (2022 The Family Court Supporting Children in Court Act) which heralded a change in out of court processes. Jill was contracted to author and deliver an on line training for all NZ family mediators in 2024 on the topic of child inclusion. Her multiple awards include a Churchill Fellowship, and she is regularly invited to give papers interntionally and at home, and gives media interviews whilst continuing to train colleagues and run courses for parents and families. She keeps up her clinical practice and receives frequent referrals on complex cases from legal professionals.

Mr. Mark Tolich, Consultant Solicitor, Corban Revell Lawyers
Mark specialises in Counsel for Child work and has extensive knowledge in range of family law areas. He is a contributing author for Brookers Family Law, the leading major family law text in New Zealand. Mark practices in most of the courts in the Auckland area including: Manukau, Papakura, Pukekohe, Waitakere City, Albany and Auckland. He knowledge and expertise includes; industrial law, arbitration and mediation matters. He is available to undertake mediation with respect to employment, common law and family law matters. Mark is a member of the English Institute of Arbitrators and is an associate of the New Zealand Institute and is an accredited LEADR mediator.