Chris’s Relevant Expertise

A registered legal practitioner since 1981.
An Accredited Mediator since 2000 and accredited under the new national accreditation standard since 2009
A full member of LEADR - Association of Dispute Resolvers
An Accredited Mediator since 2000 and now fully accredited under the new national accreditation standard.
An Arbitrator since 2000.
The holder of three tertiary degrees including a Master of Laws.

My Credo

My market credo is that as a highly skilled expert in what I do I should show faith in my skills by only accepting a fee if I obtain an outcome that the client is pleased with. This is what I call “pay on results”. The sort of result that will entitle me to my fee will be accurately and precisely defined in my client service agreement.

Isn't this what "the customer" wants in all other segments of the marketplace? Do people want to pay for a poor meal? Do they want to pay for defective plumbing services? Do they want to pay for expensive business consulting if it fails to improve their bottom line? Do they want to pay for an expensive plasma TV screen if it fails to deliver a better picture?

The answer is of course "No". In each case they expect only to pay for a product or a service if that product or service delivers the expected result. But if the product or service does produce the expected and hoped for result or outcome that same client or customer is quite prepared to pay a very good price for it – even above an average "market price".

The Better Way

The better way is setting up a process to analyse, manage and resolve the dispute that has these essential ingredients -

A genuine willingness and intention of the parties in dispute to opt out of the combat zone and mindset that is referred to as "litigation" and embrace an alternative approach to dispute resolution that focuses entirely on the parties themselves, with expert assistance, determining what the true issues in the dispute and how they resolve those issues to their mutual satisfaction;
The right environment, culture and system within which to assist the parties to manage and resolve their own dispute on their own terms;
The right level of knowledge and expertise being applied to facilitate the parties managing and resolving their own disputes.

My success rate

My success rate to date with applying the "better way" to dispute management and resolution has been excellent- about a 90- 95% success rate. This means that in just 5 - 10% of the cases I take on, that meet my carefully designed criteria and satisfy my pre-conditions, my efforts are in vain and payment of my fee becomes discretionary. Some clients do elect to pay me even though the defined “successful outcome” was not achieved, as they appreciate the amount of skill and effort I devoted to helping them achieve finality to their dispute. But whether payment, or part payment is made is entirely discretionary.

How to secure
my services

Simply telephone me or email me. My contact details are all located on the website. I would love to be of service to you.
JUST CLICK HERE to go straight to the Contact page.

Testimonials

We retained Chris is a building dispute that lasted over two years. That wasn't his fault! We had the misfortune to fall into the hands of the wrong builder and architect. They did everything they could to evade responsibility for their defective work. Chris's expertise and experience in this area made sure that eventually they were held accountable for their actions. Heard of a lawyer that is a great communicator, who is always courteous and bills you fairly? Well let me recommend one to you – Chris Whitelaw.

Lisa and Aidan Chapman
Kings Langley Sydney
0418 404 394

As a busy business owner I needed to find someone to handle my legal matter skilfully and without major demands on my time. Chris Whitelaw did this for me. He is highly experienced in commercial law, negligence law and building disputes. He is also very efficient and fair with his rates. I have no hesitation in recommending him.

Paul
Vertikote
www.vertikote.com.au
E-mail : paul@vertikote.com.au

H & K Ryan & Associates use Chris's services as a lawyer and for our dispute resolution process for all our clients in need of assistance when disputes arise.

Over the last few years Chris has been very impressive in relation to his own ability to assist and analyse the heart of these client’s disputes.

He has presented himself to us and our clients with the best of options to resolve their disputes as quickly and inexpensively as possible letting then know their situation at all times possible.

This is the importance that we as business people, want. Chris's versatility along with his 28 years of experience allows him to quickly find the strengths and weaknesses of our client’s current position.

Chris has a clear set of options and choices presented to us all along with what he calls the next best steps to achieve the best possible outcome in this dispute resolution process.

H & K Ryan has no hesitation is recommending Chris's services to anyone is business who has a pending dispute and would like it diagnosed and resolved in the shortest possible time and with the least amount of hassle and disruption to your life as well as to their business.

Howard Ryan
H & K Ryan & Associates

Chris worked at helping to resolve a building dispute for us. We found him to be very accessible, even answering our initial enquiry whilst overseas! Throughout the process Chris worked openly and honestly with us to help bring about the best solution to our problem.

He was able to offer alternatives when negotiations with other parties stalled so that the resolution process always seemed to be moving forward.It was Chris' ability to trust and work with other professionals that made the process run so smoothly.

Best of all our dispute was resolved outside of the tribunal in a fairly short period of time. Contacting Chris to help with our building dispute was one of the best decisions we made in the building process.