Fair Way is excited to welcome Kate Keddell
Fair Way is pleased to announce the engagement of Kate Keddell (formerly Kate Hesson) as Senior Resolution Practitioner in the Commercial Services team, based in Dunedin.
Kate practiced as a commercial lawyer for nearly two decades and is now a mediator and workplace investigator. While she remains an enrolled barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, she brings to Fair Way a wide range of experience having run her own consulting practice. She has specialist knowledge in the seafood and education sectors, plus an understanding of the nature of the boardroom and the importance of how organisations engage with their stakeholders.
“We’re so happy to welcome Kate to the Fair Way whānau. She has an engaging energy which she brings to all her dispute resolution work, with a down-to-earth nature and pragmatic approach to problem solving. Kate is an optimist who believes that conflict provides a positive opportunity for growth. She supports people through somewhat daunting and difficult conversations, which we need in order to avoid conflict festering into disputes. We all know that disputes are simply bad for business – costly and time-wasting – not to mention, stressful. Kate, like all the members of our Commercial Services team, is acutely aware of how helping people to manage conflict safely is important for well-being,” says Jeanie Robinson, Operations Manager of Commercial Services.
Kate is interested in all facets of an organisation because no matter what sector they operate within - private business, not-for-profit or public – they all involve human relationships.
“Having a varied background as a commercial lawyer, mediator, workplace facilitator, director, trustee and investigator, I am often engaged by organisations when relationship issues emerge within the workplace or with wider stakeholders. I am very interested in helping people to prevent conflict from escalating beyond repair. It never ceases to amaze me how empowered they feel once their misunderstandings are resolved, particularly if they learn new skills from me on how to manage future difficult conversations by themselves. I am excited to join Fair Way so I can provide dispute resolution services full-time, as part of a dedicated fully-serviced team nationwide,” says Kate.
Kate’s areas of practice within Fair Way includes commercial and private disputes, in addition to workplace and boardroom related issues. Kate currently sits on the Council of Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand. Her other professional memberships include Dunedin Community Mediation, Institute of Directors, and Otago Women Lawyers Society.
For more information
If you would like to get in touch with Kate, you can contact her on 0800 77 44 08 or by emailing civildr@fairwayresolution.com