Geraldine Dunn – South Africa

Geraldine Dunn

Country of Origin: South Africa

Occupation/Title: Advocate · Arbitrator · Mediator · Consultant

Organization/Company: Adv Geraldine Dunn

Summary/About

Geraldine Dunn has over two decades of experience in dispute management through arbitration and mediation. She conducts investigations and provides board advisory services on corporate governance. Beginning her career as a state prosecutor, she later transitioned into arbitration and established herself as a respected chairperson of disciplinary hearings.

She is a qualified mediator with expertise across commercial, community, family, civil, and employment disputes. Geraldine has served as a panellist for several accredited Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) agencies in South Africa, bringing impartiality, fairness, and a strong grasp of complex disputes to every matter she handles.

Her work extends into corporate governance and board advisory, where she is a member of the Institute of Directors South Africa and serves as a Non-Executive Director of the Women’s Trauma Centre GBV. Advocate Dunn continues to contribute meaningfully to organisational governance and dispute resolution both in South Africa and internationally.

Areas of Expertise

• Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
• Mediation and Arbitration
• Employment Law
• Governance and Compliance Oversight
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)
• Investigations
• Public Speaking and Presentations

Professional Experience

• Private Legal Consultancy – Over 23 years of independent practice as an advocate, specialising in disciplinary hearings, arbitrations, mediations, investigations, and board advisory. Extensive experience in employment law, governance, community disputes, and risk/legal compliance.
• Tokiso Dispute Resolution Panellist – Presided over adjudicative processes, conducted forensic investigations, and ensured fair, impartial dispute resolution.
• Commissioner, Commission for Conciliation Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) – Mediated and arbitrated disputes across industries, maintaining neutrality and impartiality.
• State Prosecutor, National Prosecuting Authority – Prosecuted criminal cases, gaining foundational experience in litigation and dispute resolution.
• Board Advisory & Directorship Roles
  • Associate of Boardvisory and member of the Institute of Directors South Africa.
  • Facilitated board interventions and governance reforms in local and international organisations.
  • Board appointments include the University of the Western Cape Fund Alumni Board and the Women’s Trauma Centre GBV, Cape Town.

Skills

• Conflict Management
• Governance and Compliance Oversight
• Arbitration and Mediation
• Community and Stakeholder Engagement
• Investigations
• Disciplinary Hearings Chairpersonship
• Report Writing
• Strategic Problem-Solving
• Facilitation

Additional Brief

Geraldine Dunn’s career reflects her unwavering commitment to justice, fairness, and governance excellence. Through her extensive experience in ADR, corporate governance, and board advisory, she has become a trusted voice in dispute resolution and organisational reform. Her contributions continue to strengthen institutions, empower communities, and advance equitable practices in South Africa and beyond.