Panels

Donna sits on a number of panels as arbitrator, including:

  • Resolution Institute, Australian Disputes Centre, ACICA,
  • World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC),
  • Asia Pacific Centre for Arbitration & Mediation (APCAM), Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC),
  • NBN Industry Disputes, VSBC, and  
  • VCAT (as a mediator).

Donna has been involved as sole arbitrator or representative in ad hoc and institutional arbitrations including under the Resolution Institute and ICC rules and is highly proficient in on-line dispute resolution (ODR)

Expertise

As a commercial disputes lawyer, Donna has acted as outside general counsel to various SMEs and is specialised in contract and settlement negotiations and assisting clients in resolving commercial disputes.

She has substantial experience in import, licensing, service and distribution agreements, sales contracts, including under the Convention on the International Sale of Goods (CISG), and matters involving breach of contract, wrongful termination, shareholder and joint venture disputes.

She works regularly in areas such as:

  • Construction, Property and commercial leasing,
  • Technology and IT,
  • Franchising,  and
  • Wine and alcohol industry.

Teaching and Affiliations

Donna is on the CIArb Faculty for International Arbitration and is a lecturer at La Trobe Law School, Leo Cussen Centre for Law and Legalwise. She sits on Resolution Institute’s National Determinative Committee and chaired the Victorian Arbitration Committee for five years. She is a member of ArbitralWomen’s Advisory Board and a former board member.

Donna’s approach to resolving disputes in a cost-effective manner has won her recognition and awards.

She was named Australasian Arbitrator of the Year in 2020 and Most Influential Lawyer 2021 and is also LIV Accredited Specialist in Mediation Law and has been ranked as a Leading Mediator by Doyle’s Guide for the past five years.

Donna has lived and practiced on several continents and is multicultural, trilingual in English, fluent French and Spanish and fluent in Italian.