Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia

What Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia does

Resolution Institute, the operating trade name of the Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia (IAMA), is a membership-based dispute resolution organization headquartered in Sydney and operating across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. It was formed in 2015 through the merger of IAMA and LEADR and traces more than 50 years of collective history in the dispute resolution sector. The organization serves both individual practitioners (mediators, arbitrators, family dispute resolution practitioners) and corporate organizations that require accredited mediators, training, and professional development, anchored by its status as a Registered Mediator Accreditation Body (RMAB) sanctioned by the Mediator Standards Board.

The core product set is built around a recurring membership subscription that bundles accreditation pathways, continuing professional development (CPD), access to the Find a Dispute Resolver directory, professional indemnity and public liability insurance, the Smart Library resource platform, and nomination services for security of payment and construction matters. A 30-year-running flagship mediation training course (with a 20% first-year membership discount on completion) and structured AMDRAS accreditation assessments function as the primary acquisition funnel into the membership. Revenue is generated across four main streams: individual membership subscriptions, training and assessment fees, tiered corporate memberships, and an annual conference. Technology is a web-based membership and event management platform with online training delivery via Zoom; there is no proprietary AI, mobile app, or disclosed third-party platform integrations.

The organization is privately held, employs 14 staff, and has no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, or material partnerships. Its 2025 leadership is CEO Amber Williams and Board Chair Nick Hopkins KC, and its most recent strategic moves include launching the Mediation Audit 2026 (the first comprehensive study of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere) and expanding its online training and assessment calendar across both Australia and New Zealand.

Name

Institute of Arbitrators & Mediators Australia

Legal name

Resolution Institute

Website

https://iama.org.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Resolution Institute is a 14-employee, Sydney-based membership organization providing mediator accreditation, training, and professional development services to dispute resolution practitioners and corporate clients across Australia and New Zealand, operating as a sanctioned RMAB.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Alternative Dispute Resolution Services

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Conflict Resolution & Negotiation (EDABAMAE)

Keywords

• Dispute resolution services
• Mediation training
• Professional accreditation
• Continuing professional development
• Arbitration membership

Headquarters

HQ city

Sydney

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

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 Subscriptions: Annual membership fees providing access to accreditation, CPD programs, resource library, member directory listing, discounts, and community support.
2. Training and Assessment Fees: Revenue from mediation training courses, accreditation assessments, and CPD short courses offered both online and in-person.
3. Corporate Memberships: Tiered corporate membership programs for organizations seeking dispute resolution services or professional development for staff.
4. Conference and Events: Annual conference revenue including registration fees for the Resolution Institute annual conference.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Resolution Institute is a dispute resolution membership organisation that delivers mediation and arbitration training, RMAB-sanctioned accreditation pathways (including the AMDRAS framework), ongoing continuing professional development (CPD), competency assessments, corporate membership programs, and ancillary services such as nomination services, security of payment adjudication, a member directory (Find a Dispute Resolver), and a Smart Library resource platform. Membership, training and assessment fees, corporate memberships, and annual conference revenue form the primary commercial offerings.

Product overview

Resolution Institute operates as a membership-based dispute resolution organization spanning Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The organization offers a unified platform of professional services centered on mediation training (running 30+ years), accreditation (as an RMAB sanctioned by the Mediator Standards Board), and ongoing professional development. Key offerings include AMDRAS Mediation Training and Accreditation, Assessment Services, Find a Dispute Resolver directory, Security of Payment Applications, Nomination Services, and the Smart Library resource repository. The institute also publishes the Mediation Audit Report as a research contribution to the field. All services are accessible through membership tiers including individual and corporate options.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mediation Training Flagship mediation training programme running for over 30 years, considered the most trusted in the Australian and New Zealand dispute resolution industry. Participants who complete the course receive 20% off their first year of Resolution Institute membership.
• AMDRAS Mediation Training and Accreditation Comprehensive AMDRAS framework training and accreditation pathway for becoming an accredited mediator, conducted online with multiple session dates offered throughout the year.
• Assessment Services Competency assessments for mediators and dispute resolvers, including AMDRAS Mediation assessments, NZ Mediation Assessments, and other evaluator-led competency evaluations delivered online via Zoom.
• Accreditation Services Accreditation programs for mediators and dispute resolution practitioners, operated under Resolution Institute's status as a Registered Mediator Accreditation Body (RMAB) sanctioned by the Mediator Standards Board.
• Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Professional development offerings for dispute resolution practitioners to maintain and enhance their skills and credentials, including short courses, refreshers, and supervision offerings such as FDR Professional Supervision and the Conciliation CPD Series.
• Find a Dispute Resolver Directory Public-facing member directory allowing users to locate and connect with qualified, accredited dispute resolvers and mediators for their matters.
• Corporate Memberships Tiered corporate membership programs for organizations seeking dispute resolution services or professional development for staff, with volume access to accreditation and training benefits.
• Nomination Services Services for nominating dispute resolvers for various types of disputes and proceedings, leveraging the institute's accredited member base.
• Security of Payment Applications Nomination and application services for security of payment matters in the construction and building industry, including adjudication through the QuickFiles service.
• Annual Resolution Institute Conference The annual Resolution Institute conference serving as the flagship networking and professional development event for the dispute resolution community across Australia and New Zealand.
• PI/PL Insurance Access Access pathway for members to obtain Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance tailored to dispute resolution practitioners.

Quantifiable outcome

• First comprehensive mediation benchmark study in the Southern Hemisphere

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 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 highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMS: Major private ADR provider in the US offering mediation, arbitration, and ADR training/neutrals roster. Comparable as a provider of accredited neutrals and ADR training programs but profit-distributed and case-admin focused rather than a member-led accreditation institute.
• London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA): Long-established London-based international arbitration institution providing case administration, rules, and arbitrator appointments. Overlaps with Resolution Institute on nominating arbitrators and providing accredited neutrals in international matters.
• American Arbitration Association (AAA-ICDR): Large US-headquartered ADR provider running the International Centre for Dispute Resolution. Operates case administration, accreditation, and training across a much broader portfolio; overlaps with Resolution Institute on accreditation and dispute resolution services but is a full-service commercial ADR institution rather than a membership body.
• Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC): Leading Asia-Pacific international arbitration and mediation institution administering disputes and providing accreditation/academy services. Overlaps with Resolution Institute's international dispute resolution focus but is primarily a case administration venue rather than a practitioner membership body.

Direct peers

• ADR Institute of Canada (ADRIC): Canada's national ADR membership organization offering Chartered Mediator designations, accreditation, training, and member directory services. Directly comparable model to Resolution Institute: profession-led body with accreditation monopoly within its national jurisdiction.
• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb): London-headquartered international membership body that trains, accredits, and regulates arbitrators and ADR practitioners globally. Closest functional analog to Resolution Institute: a not-for-profit institute offering chartered accreditation pathways, training, CPD, and member-driven dispute resolution services, but with global rather than ANZ reach.

Emerging players

• Mediate.com: Long-running online ADR community and resource hub providing mediation training directories, articles, and practitioner listings. Competes with Resolution Institute for online training and resource library mindshare but does not hold national accreditation authority.
• International Mediation Institute (IMI): International Hague-based mediator accreditation organization that certifies mediators through Recognized Mediator Accreditation Programs. Operates in adjacent accreditation territory to Resolution Institute's RMAB pathways and is establishing globally recognized standards relevant to cross-border mediation practice.

Regional players

• Singapore International Mediation Institute (SIMI): Singapore-based international accreditation body for mediators, running the IMIS Certified Mediator pathway. Analogous accreditation-body mission to Resolution Institute's RMAB role, but focused on Asia-Pacific/global cross-border mediation rather than ANZ domestic practice.
• Australian Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (ACICA): Australian international arbitration institution that co-exists with Resolution Institute and shares the same geographic jurisdiction. Comparable in providing ADR accreditation, panel of neutrals, and dispute administration, but specialized in international commercial arbitration rather than domestic mediation and is a venue rather than membership body.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ResolutionInst
• Facebookfacebook.com/resolutioninstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/institute-of-arbitrators-&-mediators-australia
• 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 & Mediators Australia