John O'Leary Attorney & Mediator

Professional services:

Services are offered online and in person. To book an appointment phone +27 82 3764447 or email john@mediatorlaw.com

Areas of practice:

Mediation:

Dispute resolution and settlement negotiation in:

Business,

Family, 

Community,

Inter-Personal,

Pre- and Post-Divorce,

Labour, and 

Organizational disputes

Arbitration:

Disciplinary hearings and labour disputes; educational sector disputes

Training:

Skills training for Mediators

Supervision, assessing & mentoring of mediators

Trusts & Estates:

Wills and Trusts;

Executor and / or Administrator of Deceased Estates 

Property:

Conveyancing (through correspondents)

NGO Sector:

Non-Profit / Public Benefit Organisations / Civil Society Organisations;

Contracts:

Contract negotiations and drafting;

Voluntary Association constitutions 

Background:

I was educated in Lesotho and Cape Town, South Africa, where I did a BA, BA Hons and MA at the University of Cape Town. 

After studying law through UNISA and doing articles, I was admitted as attorney and conveyancer in 1993 and I have been in private legal practice since then. I first trained as a mediator in 1994. 

I practised in the firm Walkers Inc from 1993 until 2012 when I started my own firm. My practice has mostly been in civil law, especially labour, insurance, contract and family law. While I was at Walkers I was part of a team working on one of the largest insurance claims in the country’s history, and I also worked as part of a team which administered the curatorship of a large group of investment companies.

Since starting my own firm I have specialised in mediation and settlement negotiations. I participated in further training through the Centre for Conflict Resolution at UCT, and am accredited by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) UK, Conflict Dynamics (Pty) Ltd, the Africa Centre for Dispute Settlement and the Family Mediators’ Association of the Cape (FAMAC) as a mediator. I was a founder member of the latter in 1994. I was also a member of the committee which established the National Accreditation Board for Family Mediators (NABFAM) in 2011, and have worked closely with the related Dispute Settlement Advisory Council (DISAC, which focuses on civil disputes) since then, recently being elected to the board of the Association for Dispute Resolution Practitioners SA NPC. In 2017 I completed advanced training in Mediation in Complex Company / Community Environments at the Graduate School of Business (UCT). 

I began training mediators in 1996. I currently coach and assess mediation trainees for Conflict Dynamics (Pty) Ltd and for the Legal Education and Development (LEAD) program of the Law Societies of South Africa (LSSA).  I also do custom designed in-house training for companies, schools, faith-based organisations and NGO's. From 2009 to 2024 I trained Social Workers in mediation skills, and I have participated in and conducted Train-the-Trainer courses on behalf of LSSA / LEAD. 

I also facilitate processes for private clients, which include organisational reviews, change management processes, restructuring and strategic planning.

The Education, Training and Development Practices Sectoral Education Training Authority has accredited me to conduct outcomes-based assessments.

I have served as a trustee and board member of several schools and social development trusts, faith-based organisations and civil society organisations. From 1 November 2024 I have been retained as Operations Officer for the Congregation of Irish Dominican Sisters in the Region of South Africa (CIDSRSA).

I have been married to Elsabe O’Leary since 1984 and we have two daughters.