The Collaborative Advantage: A Day to Connect and Learn

May 29, 2025 AACP News

On Friday 16 May 2025, 69 collaborative professionals from across Australia and overseas came together in Brisbane for a one-day conference hosted by the Queensland Association of Collaborative Practitioners (QACP) in partnership with the Australian Association of Collaborative Professionals (AACP). It was a rare chance to meet face-to-face and explore how we can keep evolving the way we resolve conflict.

The event brought together collaborative lawyers, financial professionals, coaches and contributors from the technology and academia space.

The day began with a warm welcome from AACP’s immediate past president, Sue Abrams, who spoke about the organisation’s ongoing work in national advocacy, systemic reform and strengthening a supportive community of practice.

In the line up:

• Sue Abrams reflected on AACP’s steady progress and its efforts to make collaborative practice a bigger part of how we solve problems.

• Perpetua Kish (joined by the founding father of collaorative pratice, Stu Webb) reminded us why presence, purpose, and shared responsibility are central to our work.

• Leanne Hughes talked about how the growing demand for convenience is changing what people expect from professionals and how we can meet that with clarity, access and trust.

• A case debrief  with a panel featuring Zinta Harris, Lynda Babister, Jacinta Watkins, Jayne Humphreys and Valerie Norton showed how collaboration can make a real difference in estate planning.

• Clarissa Rayward shared practical ideas for building a practice that lasts – one that aligns with your values and supports you in the long run.

• Selina Trigg explored how tools like AI might support, rather than replace, our human-centred work.

In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing more from the day on AACP’s LinkedIn and our monthly eBlast.

And if you missed this event – there will be another. We hope you’ll join us next time!