Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA)

What Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA) does

Resolution Institute (formerly the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia, IAMA) is the leading dispute resolution membership organisation in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, founded in 1975 and operating as a Registered Mediator Accreditation Body (RMAB) sanctioned by the Mediator Standards Board. The organisation serves dispute resolution practitioners — principally mediators, arbitrators, and family dispute resolution professionals — through a unified platform offering professional accreditation, flagship mediation training (running for over 30 years), online assessments (including the AMDRAS Mediation assessment), and continuing professional development. Its member-facing ecosystem includes a 'Find a Dispute Resolver' public directory, a resource library, professional indemnity and public liability insurance access, and a recurring programme of in-person and online events anchored by an annual conference.

Core technology comprises a website-based self-serve platform for membership applications, event registration, training enrollment, and assessment booking, alongside the member directory and online assessment delivery infrastructure. Adjacent product lines extend the value proposition: Security of Payment nomination and adjudication services target payment disputes in the construction and commercial sector, while QuickFiles and a Resource Library serve state-adjudication practitioners. The 2026 Mediation Audit Report — described as the first comprehensive study of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere — establishes a research and benchmarking capability.

The revenue model is multi-stream and primarily membership-funded: individual membership subscriptions (with a 20% first-year discount offered on completion of mediation training), corporate memberships for organisations requiring dispute resolution access or staff upskilling, professional services revenue from training courses and assessments, and transaction-fee revenue from Security of Payment nominations and adjudications. The organisation is led by CEO Amber Williams and Board Chair Nick Hopkins KC, operates as a private, non-listed membership association, and pursues a community-led go-to-market motion anchored on professional development, accreditation pathways, and industry reputation.

Name

Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA)

Legal name

Resolution Institute

Website

https://leadriama.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Resolution Institute (formerly IAMA) is the leading dispute resolution membership organisation in Australia and New Zealand, providing RMAB-sanctioned accreditation, mediation training, and professional development to mediators, arbitrators, and dispute resolution practitioners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dispute Resolution Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation & Dispute Resolution (BPAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Conflict Resolution & Negotiation (EDABAMAE), Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL)

Keywords

• Dispute resolution services
• Mediation training
• Professional accreditation
• Arbitration services
• Professional membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Chatswood

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions providing access to professional development resources, member directory listings, discounts, and community benefits. First-year members receive 20% discount upon completion of mediation training course.
2. Training and Assessment Services: Revenue from mediation training courses and professional assessments including AMDRAS Mediation assessments. Running flagship mediation training for over 30 years.
3. Corporate Memberships: Corporate membership offerings for organizations requiring dispute resolution services or seeking to upskill staff.
4. Security of Payments Applications: Nomination and adjudication services for construction and commercial payment disputes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Resolution Institute is the leading dispute resolution membership organization in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, providing mediation training (running 30+ years), professional accreditation via RMAB status, dispute resolution assessments (including AMDRAS), security of payment adjudication for construction disputes, and a member directory connecting parties with accredited mediators and arbitrators. The organization operates on a community-membership model serving practitioners, organizations, and parties in dispute.

Product overview

Resolution Institute offers a unified platform providing dispute resolution services across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The core offerings center on mediation training (run for over 30 years), professional accreditation as an RMAB sanctioned by the Mediator Standards Board, and a member directory for finding qualified dispute resolvers. The portfolio extends to complementary services including Continued Professional Development, assessment services (AMDRAS Mediation assessment), Security of Payment applications, nomination services, PI/PL insurance, and a resource library. The organization also publishes the Mediation Audit Report, a research publication benchmarking the mediation profession in the Southern Hemisphere.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mediation Training Flagship mediation training program running for over 30 years, providing professional accreditation and skills development for dispute resolution practitioners in Australia and New Zealand; training completers receive 20% off first-year membership.
• Individual Membership Annual membership subscriptions providing access to professional development resources, member directory listings, CPD opportunities, exclusive discounts, and community benefits for individual dispute resolution practitioners.
• Corporate Memberships Organizational membership tier providing businesses and institutions with access to dispute resolution services and training benefits for their staff.
• Accreditation Services Professional accreditation programs for mediators and dispute resolution practitioners, delivered as a Registered Mediator Accreditation Body (RMAB) sanctioned by the Mediator Standards Board.
• AMDRAS Mediation Assessment Online accreditation assessment evaluating practitioner competency for mediator certification, scheduled regularly throughout the year.
• Security of Payment Applications Nomination and adjudication services for construction industry payment disputes under security of payment legislation.
• Nomination Services Services for nominating dispute resolution practitioners to handle specific cases and disputes for parties seeking ADR services.
• FDR Professional Supervision Professional supervision services delivered online for Family Dispute Resolution practitioners to support their practice.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% discount on first-year membership for mediation training completers

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: Large US-based alternative dispute resolution provider offering mediation, arbitration, and training services across multiple verticals, overlapping with Resolution Institute's dispute resolution portfolio at much larger scale.
• Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR): Established UK-based ADR organization offering mediation training, accreditation, and practitioner directories comparable to Resolution Institute's flagship mediation training and member directory.
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb): Global chartered body for arbitrators and dispute resolution professionals with membership, accreditation, and training pathways that overlap Resolution Institute's offerings at international scale.
• American Arbitration Association (AAA/ICDR): Predominant US arbitration and mediation institution with international case administration services, serving as a broad incumbent comparable to Resolution Institute in the dispute resolution ecosystem.

Direct peers

• ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC): National dispute resolution membership and accreditation body serving Canadian mediators and arbitrators with parallel certification and training programs to Resolution Institute.
• Australian Mediation Association: Direct competitor providing mediation accreditation, training, and practitioner membership services across Australia, overlapping with Resolution Institute's core member and training offerings.
• Resolution Australia (formerly LEADR): ANZ peer offering mediation, arbitration, and dispute resolution member services with practitioner accreditation pathways directly comparable to Resolution Institute's portfolio.

Emerging players

• International Mediation Institute (IMI): Global mediator certification body focused on qualifying mediator competency standards and inter-institutional recognition, overlapping with Resolution Institute's RMAB accreditation function.
• Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) providers: Specialist FDR supervision and accreditation providers in Australia and New Zealand that compete for the same practitioner supervision and accreditation revenue stream as Resolution Institute's FDR offering.

Regional players

• Singapore International Mediation Centre (SIMC): Singapore-based mediation institution serving Asia-Pacific cross-border disputes with training and accreditation offerings comparable to Resolution Institute but operating in a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/leadrnow
• Facebookfacebook.com/leadrnow
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2591707
• Instagraminstagram.com/resolution.institute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (IAMA)