CPD Course:
An Introduction to Some
Psychological Disorders
Commonly Encountered
in Law Courts
and
in Mediation Rooms

As a practising Barrister, Mr. Ip maintains a mixed practice of civil law and criminal law.  For civil practice, Mr. Ip's scope of practice includes: contract law, tort law, probate and will, family law, property law, construction law, company law, international trade law and arbitration law.  For criminal practice, Mr. Ip accepts briefs both as a prosecuting counsel and a defence counsel.

As an ADR practitioner, Mr. Ip acts as Arbitrator, General Mediator, Family Mediator, and Victim-Offender Mediator.  Particularly for arbitration, Mr. Ip has participated in many institutional international arbitration proceedings, including those of CIETAC, GAFTA, FOSFA, and LME arbitrations.  Mr. Ip is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, an accredited general and family mediator of the HKMAAL, and a professional VOM mediator recognised by the Griffith University of Australia.  Mr. Ip has received training in parenting coordination from the Institute of Parenting Coordination and is a listed Parenting Coordinator at their website.

In relation to psychotherapy, Mr. Ip possesses a BA in Applied Psychology and a MSoSci (distinction) in Behavioral Health.  He is a Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society.  He has been receiving clinical training in Family Therapy at the Asian Academy of Family Therapy since 2016 under the direction of a world renown family therapy master Dr. Lee Wai Yong.

Mr. Ip is serving as a Chairman to the appeal tribunals established under s.45 of the Buildings Ordinance (Cap.123) for hearing of appeals against the decisions of the Buildings Department.  He also works as a volunteer family mediator for the Hong Kong Family Welfare Society and the Hong Kong Catholic Marriage Advisory Council.

Mr. Ip is also enthusiastic in tertiary education.  Since 2008, he has accepted part-time teaching appointments from many local and overseas universities.  He is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University teaching construction related laws.  He also teaches in the Master of Translation (Business & Law) program at the Hang Seng University.  He has also taught at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong, the School of Law of the City University of Hong Kong, and the Faculty of Education at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

To give legal and mediation practitioners an introduction to the general features of some common psychological disorders that may be encountered by them in law courts and mediation rooms.  While this is the primary objective of the course, it is also suitable for people in other professions who are interested in acquiring a basic understanding of those common psychological disorders as listed in the course outline.

• Some essential terminology in understanding psychological health
• Similarities and differences between psychology and psychiatry
• Clinical assessment and diagnosis of psychological disorders
• Mood disorders
• Panic and anxiety, and their disorders
• Post trauma stress disorder (PTSD)
• Personality disorders
• Austim and aperger
• Sexual variants, abuse, and dysfunction
• Substance related disorders
• Schizophernia and other psychotic disorders
• Fitness to plea and mental illnesses
• Mediation and mental illnesses
• Case studies
• Forecast of the World Health Organization (WHO) on psychological health
• Questions and answers