Francesca is a highly experienced legal practitioner, facilitator, and mediator.
After being employed as a solicitor in a legal firm for many years, Francesca commenced working as a sole practitioner, practicing exclusively in mediating legal disputes, and facilitating meetings between individuals and groups.
In 1996, Francesca became an LIV Accredited Specialist in Mediation, and in 2008, a Nationally Accredited Mediator (NMAS). She also completed a Certificate of Accreditation as a Restorative Engagement Defence Facilitator in 2014.
For numerous years to date, Francesca has been a member of many mediation panels. She is regularly engaged by the VSBC to mediate retail tenancy disputes, business disputes, and farm debt matters. She is also regularly engaged by VCAT to mediate in the Property and Building List and the Human Rights List.
In 1997 Francesca was appointed as a conciliator for the then Legal Profession Tribunal. She was later engaged as a sessional mediator for the Legal Services Commissioner until approximately 2006 when she commenced mediating such disputes in the Legal Practice List at VCAT.
In 2014 to early 2017, Francesca was engaged by the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce (Commonwealth Attorney General’s Department) to facilitate Restorative Engagement Conferences between military, (including former military), service members and Senior Defence Officers. In 2017 Francesca was appointed to the panel of facilitators by the Commonwealth Ombudsman (Defence Force).
For many years Francesca has been a member of the LIV Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, and the LIV Mediation Advisory Committee. From time to time, Francesca is also engaged b various institutions to assess students who have completed mediation courses.
Francesca is regularly engaged by various law firms to conduct pre-litigation and court ordered mediations in all jurisdictions and covering a wide variety of areas of law.
Francesca is a highly qualified and experienced mediator and facilitator with a high settlement rate, and party satisfaction rate. She conducts all mediations in a fair, cost effective, and professional manner in accordance with recognised mediation standards, practices, and procedures.