Oppermans Inc.

13/07/2026

Today is day 6 of the 10 day of training future Divorce and Family Mediators with the LEAD LSSA. Over the course of the program, we moved from the fundamentals of mediation theory into the messier, more human parts of divorce and family mediation: how to hold space for two people in conflict, how to stay neutral without staying distant, and how to help families find their way to agreements that actually last.

A few things stood out to me:

The students came in with legal training and adversarial mindset, but the real shift happened when they started thinking like mediators — listening for interests, not just positions. Role-plays got uncomfortable in the best way. That discomfort is where the real learning happens. Learning by doing. Watching a group go from reciting frameworks to genuinely understanding the mediation process in just 6 days was a reminder of how fast people grow when they're given the right conditions to practice.

Family mediation asks a lot of the people who practice it — patience, humility, and a willingness to sit with conflict instead of rushing past it. I'm proud of this group, and I have no doubt they'll bring real care into the rooms they walk into next.

Grateful to LEAD LSSA for the opportunity to lead this training, and to every participant who showed up ready to do the hard, human work of this profession.

26/06/2026

When a picture says a thousand words…

11/04/2026

Leaving for India next week Friday for my 22nd trip to this awesome country. Apart from guest lecturing at a University in Delhi, I am looking forward in collaborating and meeting likeminded mediators while in India for the next couple of weeks.

01/03/2026

Our book sales have been phenomenal and we cannot keep up with the demand with more and more attorneys that want to get the upper hand when negotiating with opposing counsel. Fear not, Mastering Negotiation for Legal Practitioners is now available on Takealot.

It highlights negotiation as the 'silent courtroom' where the majority of legal matters are settled. This book is your gateway to transforming everyday legal conversations into strategic opportunities for influence and resolution. Through practical insights and practice-based examples, you'll uncover how effective negotiation unfolds across multiple stages, requiring preparation, emotional control, persuasive communication, and a sharp grasp of conflict dynamics. Explore a range of dispute resolution methods, learn advanced techniques used by seasoned legal professionals and mediators, and navigate the ethical challenges unique to legal practice. More than a skill set, this book invites you to adopt a new mindset - one that sees disputes in legal practice not as a battle to win, but as a craft to master, where the best outcomes are built through collaboration, clarity, and strategic thinking.

Order your copy today on Takealot.

Mastering Negotiation for Legal Practitioners. Eligible for Cash on Delivery. Non-Returnable. Many ways to pay. Shop anything you can imagine!

22/01/2026

Why being a lawyer is actually harder than brain surgery (no, really!) Hot take: Being a trial lawyer is harder than being a pilot or a neurosurgeon. Hear me out.

Picture this: You’re a pilot at 40,000 feet with 300 people depending on you. Massive responsibility? Absolutely. But here’s the thing: nobody’s actively trying to crash your plane.

The weather isn’t sentient. The turbulence isn’t plotting against you. There’s no opposing pilot in the jump seat yelling “OBJECTION!” every time you adjust the throttle.

Same with surgeons. You’re performing delicate brain surgery, and yes, one wrong move could be catastrophic. But the tumour isn’t hiring its own legal team. The blood vessels aren’t filing interlocutory motions to delay your surgical approach.

Now enter the courtroom, where chaos is the only constant.

You spend weeks preparing the perfect trial. You’ve mapped out every question, anticipated every answer, and you’re about to deliver your Tom-Cruise-in-A-Few-Good-Men moment. And just like that, your beautiful plan explodes like a laptop in a coffee shop. You have to pivot instantly, reorganizs your entire strategy in your head, and pretend like this was your plan all along.

Nobody grabs the controls from a pilot mid-flight and says, “Nah, try a different approach to landing.” Nobody bursts into the OR yelling, “I OBJECT TO THAT INCISION!”

But in court? That’s literally the entire job description of the person sitting across from you.

The lawyer isn’t just performing a difficult task. They’re performing a difficult task while:

∙ An equally (sometimes doubtable) trained professional actively tries to sabotage them

∙ A witness might suddenly develop amnesia, hostility, or an unexpected creative interpretation of truth

∙ A judge acts as referee with their own rulebook and mood swings

And you have to juggle all of this while constantly asking permission to do your job.

“Your Honour, may I approach?”

“Your Honour, may I continue?”

“As the Court pleases…..”

“Your Honour, can I please just finish this one sentence before—” “OBJECTION!”

Imagine if surgeons had to stop mid-operation and debate whether removing that particular piece of tumour was really necessary. Imagine if pilots had to get judicial approval for every altitude change.

Lawyers fight another human whose literal job is to make them lose, while performing for an audience or their client, following rules that change depending on who’s refereeing.

So yeah, next time someone brags about their profession being stressful, just ask them: “But does someone stand up and object every time you try to do your job?”

No? Then sit down, counsellor — wait, sorry, force of habit.

The prosecution rests. (Unless opposing counsel objects to that too.)

21/01/2026

We've hit the ground running this year with a full diary of Maintenance Court, Domestic Violence, and Children's Court matters. Our commitment to supporting clients through these crucial family law cases remains our most important drive.

We're particularly excited about several upcoming High Court appearances that will tackle important gaps in family law—opportunities to shape meaningful change for the families we serve. Also on the cards is a new book on practical Parenting Plans (due to launch soon) to assist family law practitioners, mediators, social workers and mental health professionals. Also in the final editing stages is another book on Trauma-informed Mediation Practice based on international training we have been conducting on the topic.

With such a demanding start to the year, a gentle reminder to our colleagues: pace yourselves. Working with families through challenging matters can be emotionally taxing, and burnout creeps up faster than we realise. Take care of yourselves so we can continue providing the best support to those who need us most. Sometimes, it is just necessary to send a whatsapp message or a LinkedIn message or to meet up for a cup of coffee just to debrief and regain momentum going forward.

Here's to a year of impact, advocacy, and sustainable practice.

21/01/2026

Most legal practitioners spend far more time negotiating than litigating, yet how many of us were truly trained for it? "Mastering Negotiation for Legal Practitioners" treats negotiation as the strategic game it really is – like chess, where every move matters and preparation separates amateurs from masters. This isn't just another skills book. It's a complete framework covering the essential pillars: preparation, persuasion, power dynamics, process control, and principled decision-making. Whether you're navigating complex commercial deals, contentious disputes, or sensitive settlement conferences, you'll learn to shape outcomes rather than just react to them.

What sets this book apart is its focus on the legal strategist mindset. You'll discover how to conduct interest-based negotiations, when to shift strategies, control the pace of dialogue, and handle the critical endgame where deals are won or lost. More importantly, you'll learn to balance assertiveness with ethics, persuasion with principle, and technical skill with emotional intelligence. Every negotiation is an opportunity for transformation – for your clients, your reputation, and your career. Limited quantities available at leading bookstores, or order now from Takealot at https://www.takealot.com/mastering-negotiation-for-legal-practitioners/PLID100563310

Your opening move starts here.

08/01/2026

The book Mastering Negotiation for Legal Practitioners is now available on Takealot.

It highlights negotiation as the 'silent courtroom' where the majority of legal matters are settled. This book is your gateway to transforming everyday legal conversations into strategic opportunities for influence and resolution. Through practical insights and practice-based examples, you'll uncover how effective negotiation unfolds across multiple stages, requiring preparation, emotional control, persuasive communication, and a sharp grasp of conflict dynamics. Explore a range of dispute resolution methods, learn advanced techniques used by seasoned legal professionals and mediators, and navigate the ethical challenges unique to legal practice. More than a skill set, this book invites you to adopt a new mindset - one that sees disputes in legal practice not as a battle to win, but as a craft to master, where the best outcomes are built through collaboration, clarity, and strategic thinking.

Order your copy today on Takealot. https://www.takealot.com/mastering-negotiation-for-legal-practitioners/PLID100563310