OUR TEAM

Blazo Nedic is internationally accredited independent mediator, trainer, consultant and attorney based in Belgrade, with over 25 years of practice in Serbia, Europe, and the USA. He is the President of the Serbian National Association of Mediators (NUMS) and one of the World Bank’s 30 Regional Mediators, where he serves as a mediator, facilitator and conflict competency trainer for the World Bank Europe and Central Asia. Currently, he serves as the Key Expert for Mediation & ADR for the EU Project - Support to the Supreme Court of Cassation in Serbia.

As a mediator he is certified by the ABA Dispute Resolution Section, ADR Group UK, and JAMS International. In Serbia he is licensed for mediation and accredited to conduct foundation and specialized mediation trainings by the Ministry of Justice, and is listed by the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and the Commissioner for Anti-Discrimination. Since 2006, Blazo focused his career exclusively on dispute resolution and he mediated several hundred commercial, workplace, property and discrimination cases, including 40 cases in Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2018. As a mediation specialist he assisted Baker Hughes - GE global litigation department in resolving four complex international commercial disputes.

In 2012 he was a recipient of the JAMS Weinstein International Mediation Fellowship, and is now a Senior Fellow of the Weinstein International Mediation Foundation. In 2015 he was a visiting lecturer at Belgrade University Faculty of Law Mediation Clinic, and in 2016 here received a mediation award from the Slovenian Association of Mediators. In 2017 and 2019, Blazo served as a judge and mediator at the ICC Mediation Competition in Paris, France. In 2015, he co-founded ADR Partners, a Serbia-based company providing mediation, negotiation and ADR services and trainings.

He is an attorney licensed by the Serbian Bar Association since 1997, and Official Court Interpreter for English language certified by the Belgrade High Court since 2003. He practiced law in the UK and Serbia, and was a member of the legal team of Ian Macdonald QC in the UK House of Lords case Regina v. SSHD (ex parte Abdi & Gawe) 1 WLR 298 HL. From 2001-2008 he worked as a Deputy Country Director of the USAID funded ABA/CEELI Rule of Law development program, implementing legal reform projects in Serbia. Since 2008, he works with Partners for Democratic Change Serbia, a local civil society organization implementing local, regional, and international development projects in the field of rule of law, ADR and mediation, democracy and human rights in Serbia and the region, and he now serves as the Board President.

Blazo holds a BA Degree in Law from the University of Belgrade, a Postgraduate Diploma in International and Comparative Business Law from Metropolitan University London, and LL.M. in Dispute Resolution Degree from Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu, California. In 2014 he finished Advance Program on Negotiation (PON) at the Harvard University School of Law.

He regularly writes, speaks, and presents on mediation related issues at international events, blogs, and forums. He speaks Serbian, English and French, and mediates in Serbian and English.

Bachelor of Law, family mediator and facilitator, licensed by the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia. She graduated at the Faculty of Law of the Belgrade University, obtained a master’s degree in 2005 at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, USA, defending her master thesis in the field of family mediation. She gained her Certificate as the family court mediator at the Pittsburgh Mediation and Law Centre. Since 2003 she has been active in the field of mediation and alternative dispute resolution, while at the same perfecting her expertise in the fields of family and commercial mediation. She has participated in several projects related to establishing and developing mediation in Serbia and the region. From 2006 to 2008 she worked for the American Bar Association on projects dedicated to supporting the development of mediation in Serbia. Since 2008 she has been working as a consultant to the IFC – World Bank in Serbia in the field of mediation. In 2009 she was hired as national consultant in the UNDP within the Project “Support to the Implementation of Anti-discrimination Legislation and Mediation in Serbia”. She was hired as a guest lecturer at specialist studies in the field of mediation at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Science, as well as on the module Family Mediation within the master studies at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Law. She is a member of the Board of the European Mediation Network Initiative (EMNI), the National Coordinator for Serbia of the South Eastern European Mediation Forum (SEEMF), a member of American Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and other international associations of mediators. She was a member of the working group of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia for the drafting of the new Law on Mediation. She is also the author of several manuals, studies and other texts in the field of ADR and Mediation. Works as an docent at the Faculty of Law of the Union University in Belgrade. She speaks English and conducts mediation on both Serbian and English.

Leonardo D’Urso is a full-time mediator, co-founder and CEO of ADR Center, scientific expert of the Working Group on Mediation of CEPEJ at the Council of Europe, Problem-solving expert at the Project Complaint Mechanism (PCM) of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and member of the Board of Director of the Weinstein International Foundation – Mediating a Better Future. With more than 20 years’ experience in the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and Arbitration, he has mediated over 1.200 national and international complex civil and commercial mediations/arbitrations and facilitated various public dialogue processes. In the field of consulting, his current focus is developing ADR strategic policies for Governments and Ministries of Justice and drafting effective legislative frameworks and fast-track arbitration approaches to increase the recourse to mediation and arbitration procedures.
Since 1998, he has been nominated as senior expert in several international projects on ADR and Arbitration in Africa, Asia, Central America and Europe. In particular, he has been one of the leading experts in the two-year successful project for the creation of the first mediation center for commercial dispute in Kabul, Afghanistan and previously in a project aimed to create three court-annexed mediation pilot programs in the states of Abia, Kaduna and Lagos in Nigeria. The most recent projects aimed to draft mediation legislative reforms and implement capacity building in the Republics of Azerbaijan, Serbia and in Turkey based on the Italian Mediation Model. He has also extensive experience in CIS countries, especially working in this field with public institutions and stakeholders in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Armenia and Moldova.
Author of several publications on negotiation, mediation and arbitration, Leonardo has lectured on Negotiation and Mediation Techniques at a number of universities, Chambers of Commerce and multinational corporations. In the last 20 years, he has been speaker in hundreds of conferences and workshops in the field of negotiation, mediation, ADR and arbitration. In Rome, Leonardo teaches at LUISS University a course on “Negotiation and Conflict Resolution”. With ADR Center, he is the co-organizer of the Italian editions of the workshop “Negotiation for Executives” of the Program on Negotiation (PON Global) at Harvard Law School.

Starting in 2008, Julia had the privilege of working as Executive Director for two years at PartnersGlobal under the mentorship of our founder Raymond Shonholtz. She took over as President of the organization in 2010 upon his retirement and feels strongly about carrying on his legacy. Her roots in Portland, Oregon are an important part of her identity, as well as the number of years she spent living and working in Bogota and Belgrade.

Julia has spent her entire career as a mediator, conflict resolver and peacebuilder and brings to the Partners Network a commitment to multi-lateralism, authentic partnership and building bridges with other networks and industries. Trained as a lawyer, she is a collaborative leader who drives the entrepreneurial spirit at PartnersGlobal to continue to grow and adapt as an organization.

Anyone who knows Julia well, knows she loves to bake cookies for her loved ones, will lead any group in song around the piano or campfire and has been accused of being a “pathological optimist.”

Mr. Topalovic holds degree in Civil Engineering (structural) and post-graduate specialization in water resources and environmental management. He has been involved in various stages of projects implementation; from project identification, project preparation, tender preparation (as a principal drafter) to project supervision and monitoring. During his carrier, MrTopalovic gained experience in construction supervision with various types of standard contract documents including FIDIC, EU, EBRD, KfW, EIB and WB documents. He was involved in the different phases of project development in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Romania, Albania, Qatar, Ghana and Cyprus. In year 2011, Mr. Srdjan Topalovic received a special recognition as one of the 10 most successful European young professionals in competition organized by EFCA (European Federation of Engineering Consultancy Associations).
From 2010 and engagement on IFC/WB project “ADR in Construction sector”, Mr. Topalovic has been involved in various alternative dispute resolution processes, especially mediation and Dispute Adjudication Boards under FIDIC contracts.

Lawyer, mediator and trainer of mediators. She graduated from the Ljubljana Law faculty and passed the Bar exam. She successfully combines her legal knowledge with psychological and communication skills (including neuro-linguistic programming and coaching), as well as dispute resolution techniques. In 2018 she became a member of Slovenian Parliament. Before elections she worked as a practising lawyer and mediater in Ljubljana. In Years 2017-2019, she was Head of the Mediation Centre at the Bar Association of Slovenia.
She has been actively engaged in mediation since 2002, when she started working at the Ljubljana District Court. There, she led the Office for Public Relations until 2006, and at the same time also the Office for Alternative Dispute Resolution until the end of 2011. As a leader of the ADR Office, she actively participated in establishing the very first mediation programme in Slovenia. In this court associated mediation programme she over looked and coordinated the work of 80 mediators, who all together had over 100 hours of mediation meetings weekly. During this time, she also worked as a mediator, lecturer and trainer of mediators.
Maša acquired basic mediator training in 2002 at the Superior Court of Washington D.C., specializing in mediation in family matters. In 2003 she conducted trainings for mediators in commercial matters, carried out by the ADR Group in London. In 2004 she concluded basic Court mediator training, followed by advanced mediator training in civil, commercial and family matters.
She acquired a “Train the Trainer” certificate at the Dutch Centre for International Legal Cooperation (CILC) in 2005. In the following years she attended numerous trainings in regards to psychology, conflict management and dynamics, psychological and communication techniques for conflict resolution. In 2015 she acquired the certificates for completing the trainings NLP (neuro-lingvistic programming) Coach and NLP Practitioner.
As a coach and lecturer, she conducted numerous courses and trainings for mediators as well as lawyers and judges in Slovenia and abroad. She completed a traineeship programme in 2004 in one of the leading mediator companies in the UK, ADR Group and in 2005 carried out multiple study rotations in Dutch courts performing mediation.
In 2009 she was an active participant in the preparation of the first Slovenian legislation regarding mediation. Within the working group of Ministry of Justice she became a co-author of guidelines for mediation procedures and a co-author of the guidebook “Mediation in theory and practice” issued by the Slovenian Association of Mediators.
In 2016, Slovenian Association of Mediators awarded her a special award for merits in the development and promotion of mediation in Slovenia.
She was a Member of Parliament already from 2011 until 2014. From Year 2008 till 2014, and again from 2018, she has been member of Ljubljana City Council.

Diplomirao na Filozofskom fakultetu u Nišu, 1988. godine. Ima više od 20 godina iskustva na upravljačkim pozicijama u korporativnom, javnom i civilnom sektoru. G. Stojadinović je jedan od osnivača Medija centra u Nišu.
Od 1998. do 2000. kao koordinator Švedskog Helsinškog Komiteta radio je na uspostavljanju mreže organizacija civilnog društva širom Srbije. Od 2000 – 2003. bio je regionalni menadžer programa USAID/OTI. Od 2003. do 2011. bio je menadžer sektora korporativnih poslova kompanije Filip Moris u Nišu.
Od 2006. do 2010. predsedavao je Skupštinom Regionalne privredne komore u Nišu koja broji više od 2500 članica na području 3 okruga.
Tokom 2011 – 2012, g. bio je vodja tima USAID/SLD programa zadužen za unapredjenje saradnje javnog i poslovnog sektora u 32 jedinice lokalne samouprave širom Srbije. 2013 godine bio je direktor komunikacija i korporativnih poslova Fabrike stakla u Paraćinu.
Suosnivač je kompanije ADR Partners Beograd i sertifikovani medijator. Specijalizovan za medijaciju i pregovaranje u korporativnom sektoru, lokalnim samoupravama, kao i u sporovima između javnog i poslovnog sektora.
Govori engleski i nemački jezik, medijaciju sprovodi na srpskom, engleskom i nemačkom jeziku.

Ana Toskic, Lawyer, Facilitator, Mediator and Consultant with 15 years of experience in Western Balkans region. Developed and implemented over 20 technical assistance and capacity building projects in the areas of regulatory reform, rule of law, ADR & mediation. Experience in building partnerships with national and local institutions, independent bodies, international and local organizations, business entities and chambers of commerce, bar associations, citizens' groups.Extensive experience in facilitation of multi-stakeolhder processes and dialogues. In-depth knowledge on the Serbian legal and institutional system
Ana graduated International Law at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Law, and holds a master in law degree in European Integrations (LL.M), specialising in human rights protection mechanisms within European Union. She participated in the Belgrade Open School Core Program and currently, holds a certificate for mediators, as well as the certificate for mediators in specialized model of mediation in discrimination cases.
Ana’s working experience includes education on United Nations Convention on Right of the Child for high-school students throughout Serbia, managing projects dealing with issues of forced migrations and problems of young refugees and IDPs in Serbia, coordination of Network of International Volunteers in Serbia, organizing and delivering humanitarian aid and workshops for children and youth in refugee and IDP camps. Ana specialized in war crimes and transitional justice issues, working within the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), as well as within the Republic of Serbia Office of the War Crimes Prosecution. In 2011 she was the European Commission’s scholar, taking part in the Visiting Young Professionals program within the ICTY Office of the Prosecutor Appeals Section
Ana Toskic, Lawyer, Facilitator, Mediator and Consultant with 15 years of experience in Western Balkans region. Developed and implemented over 20 technical assistance and capacity building projects in the areas of regulatory reform, rule of law, ADR & mediation. Experience in building partnerships with national and local institutions, independent bodies, international and local organizations, business entities and chambers of commerce, bar associations, citizens' groups.Extensive experience in facilitation of multi-stakeolhder processes and dialogues. In-depth knowledge on the Serbian legal and institutional system.
Relevant projects and activites:
-Facilitator of the Project Complaint Mechanism of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (for EBRD projects in Serbia);
-Licenced Facilitator;
- Mediator accredited by the Serbian Ministry of Justice;
- Mediator accredited by the Serbian Anti-Discrimination Commissioner;
- Managed number of initatives and projects aimed at improving mediation and negotiation
capacities of various target groups, including lawyers, inspectors, enforcement officers, staff of the local citizens' rights defenders, representatives of marginalized groups, etc;
-Trainer and consultant in the field of privacy and personal data protection.
Currently, she is an Executive Director at Partners for Democratic Change Serbia.
• Areas of work: Rule of Law, Regulatory Reform, Alternative dispute resolution; Personal Data
Protection; Good Governance.
• Management Responsibilities: oversees and manages programs, including program development
and design, assessments, budgets, fundraising, and staffing; new partnerships development;
communication with various stakeholders; representing the organization at the national and
international events.

Ana is in charge of programs supporting the rule of law and regulatory reform in Serbia and the region. She edited and authored number of researches and publications in the fields of human rights (most of all, right to privacy), and alternative dispute resolution.

Psychologist, facilitator and mediator, licensed by the Ministry of Justice of Republic of Serbia. She is the President of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre (CARS). She graduated at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Philosophy. She worked at the Department of the Neurology and Psychiatry for Children and Youth in Belgrade, as a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist. Since 2002, she has been engaged in mediation. Long time consultant at Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit – GIZ (Society for International Cooperation) on the project Strengthening Structures for Youth Empowerment and Participation, in the field of school and community mediation (as program designer, training facilitator and supervisor. She was engaged in ATINA, the organization that provides support to victims of human trafficking, within which she conducted mediation between beneficiaries and their families. She has participated in several projects for establishing mediation services in Serbia and Montenegro. In 2009 she was hired as a national consultant to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on the program of support to implementing antidiscrimination legislation and mediation in Serbia. Since 2011, she has been the coordinator of the working group of the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality for establishing mediation service in discrimination cases. In 2013, she worked as a consultant in UNWOMAN on the program of support to establishing trustworthy person mechanism within the security sector, in the field of mediation skills. She was hired as a guest lecturer at specialist studies in the field of mediation at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Political Science. Member of South East European Mediation Forum (SEEMF) and Mediation Training Institute Community. Member of several national expert groups. She is the author of numerous articles, manuals and researches.

She holds a Bachelor's Degree of Psychology from the University of Belgrade. During her studies, she attended various courses inside and outside the faculty, such as early development, working with adults with special needs, as well as working with individuals with exceptional abilities (talents). She was particularly interested in researching topics closely related to the responsibilities such as workplace harassment (mobbing), constructive resolution of conflicting situations, personality and intelligence testing, and the use of diverse psychological instruments with the goal of good character, tactics and self-confidence assessment of not only prospective employees but clients as well.
She has attended numerous workshops and seminars in the field of communication and has a certificate in Basic Training for Mediators,
Currently, she’s working as a Mediation Case Manager and Training Assistant at ADR Partners. She is expert in the management and coordination of technical-assistance and capacity-building projects focused on Conflict Management and ADR – e.g. mediation, negotiation, business diplomacy, consensus building, facilitation of social dialogue, extensive experience in planning, organizing and implementing numerous training courses, seminars, and workshops on Negotiation and ADR, mainly addressed to managers, lawyers and judges and follow-up. She is devoted to upholding the rule of law, conflict prevention and resolution, supporting civil society and institutional development in Serbia and in the region, and building local capacity through a reliance on local expertise.
Milica is very interested in the fields of alternative dispute resolution, change and conflict management, rule of law, democracy and human rights and anti-discrimination.
She speaks Serbian, English and Spanish.

Srdan Simac, Ph.D. is a judge of the High Commercial Court of the Republic of Croatia and President of Croatian Mediation Association. He is among leading mediators in Croatia with unique expertise and approach and mediation pioneer. He has mediated a many domestic and international commercial disputes (over 400): maritime law /he is a lieutenant of the merchant marine/, commercial contracts, sale of goods/services, insurance/reinsurance, construction, employment & workplace, partnership, family business, division of property and disputes with a public sector. He helped hundreds persons and companies to resolve their conflicts and disputes. He treats them always as the most important persons in the world. Srđan is a mediation trainer, lecturer, speaker, author and mediation promoter nationally and internationally (in 17 countries). He is GEMME Board member; an international mediation consultant (EBRD, CEDR, and IDLO), CEDR accredited mediation trainer and an international mediator recognized in mediation centers Washington (ICSID), London (CEDR, and Prime Disputes ), Vienna (VIAC), Roma (JAMS International), Moscow (Scientific and Methodological Centre for Mediation and Law), and Hong-Kong (Mainland HK Joint Mediation Center). He is a Senior Weinstein Fellow, JAMS, from 2010 and a carrier of the ``Mediation Oscar`` - CEDR Award 2012 winner for ADR and Civil Justice Innovation; Croatian Mediation Association Award 2013 and Slovenian Mediators' Association Award 2016. Mr. Simac is identified by the international directory Who's Who Legal Commercial Mediation 2011-2018. He lives mediation, and he never quit with the parties in mediation.