Join leaders in Dispute Resolution for the First Annual DR
Symposium on May 19, from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the UMass Boston
Campus Center.
Conference Keynote Jeff Thompson, Ph.D., will present insight into
the world of the crisis/hostage negotiator, focusing on the
techniques used for highly effective communication and
de-escalation. You will learn how to defuse emotional situations
with the specific skills used by law enforcement and others.
The symposium will bring together users, practitioners,
researchers and academics, and include highlights, such as:
- DR trends and technology
- Skill building breakout sessions
- Ethics and emerging issues
- Practice strategies and insights of preeminent local
neutrals
- Improving your business
- Networking with DR thought leaders
Whether you are a neutral or you bring your clients to the
negotiation table, this conference has information you need for
your practice.
Symposium programming includes:
Critical Components to Building a DR Practice
Learn from industry experts what it takes to build a DR practice
from the ground up. No matter your experience level, you are sure
to gain insight crucial to establishing, growing or reinvigorating
your DR business.
- Brian R. Jerome, Esq. (Massachusetts Dispute Resolution
Services, MBA DR Section chair)
- Charles "Chuck" Doran (MWI)
- David E. Matz (UMass Boston, McCormack Graduate School)
- Barbara L. Nason, Esq. (Nason Divorce Solutions LLC)
Avoiding Mediation Missteps
Join an expert moderator and senior panel of neutrals to learn
about common mediation mistakes and how skillfully guided
examination of the issues can refine former inclinations.
- Sarah E. Worley, Esq. (Sarah E. Worley Conflict Resolution PC,
MBA DR Section vice chair, moderator)
- Brad Honoroff, Esq. (The Mediation Group)
- John P. Ryan, Esq. (Sloane & Walsh)
- Maria C. Walsh, Esq. (JAMS)
The Vanishing Joint Session
What does the decrease in joint opening sessions trend mean for
mediation and mediators? This program will look at the impact of
this evolving trend and consider the circumstances when opening
sessions make sense -- and when they do not.
- David H. Gibbs, Esq., (Boston Law Collaborative LLC)
- Prof. Dwight Golann (Suffolk University Law School)
Online Dispute Resolution: Essential Innovation of
Technical Difficulty?
The use of online DR to resolve disputes is increasing rapidly.
Learn about industries' technological options in order to make
informed decisions on the future of your business services
- Sheri Wilson (Massachusetts Dispute Resolution Services)
- Additional faculty to be announced
A Friendly Debate on the Pros and Cons of Hybrid
Med/Arb
Veteran arbitrator Jay Siegel and veteran mediator David Hoffman
will debate the following question: When, if ever, should parties
enlist the services of a neutral to be both the mediator and
arbitrator of their dispute? Attendees will be encouraged to meet
in small groups after the initial presentation to discuss their own
experiences, questions and concerns.
- David A. Hoffman, Esq. (Boston Law Collaborative LLC)
- Jay S. Siegel, Esq. (Jay. S. Siegel, Arbitrator)
The Future of Fitting the Forum to the
Fuss
This workshop calls on neutrals and advocates to consider every DR
modality available, or create a new process or a hybrid, if needed,
rather than quickly choosing an "off the rack" DR process or
defaulting to the traditional adversarial approach. Our panel of
presenters will explore newer approaches, urge participants to
apply creativity and experience to designing new structures, and
come up with solutions that tailor the approach to the
circumstances.
- Moderator Michael Zeytoonian, Esq. (Hutchings Barsamian
Mandelcorn LLP, moderator)
- Jessica Block, Esq. (Block & Roos LLP)
- William F. Coyne Jr., Esq. (Boston Legacy Planning LLC)
- Jeffrey Fink, Esq. (Jeffrey Fink, Esq.)
Effective Skills of Mediators
What really makes a mediator effective? Are the skills you use as
a mediator the same that other people use? Do you try to
specifically do certain actions while also avoiding others? Drawing
on his doctoral research, Jeff Thompson will address the complexity
of these questions and explain not only what actually works in
mediation, but also how much of what DR professionals accomplish is
done through nonverbal communication.
- Jeff Thompson, Ph.D. (Lipscomb University)
ESI Discovery in Arbitration
Managing e-discovery in arbitration presents challenges. In this
presentation, an experienced panel will discuss rules, case law and
guidelines applying to ESI, key terms for inclusion in ESI; and
clawback agreements; and best practices for cost-effective
e-discovery.
- Moderator Jonathan W. Fitch, Esq. (Fitch Law Partners LLP,
moderator)
- James Berriman, CEO and Founder (Evidox)
- Stacey L. Cushner, Esq. (BCK Dispute Resolution Services
Inc.)
- Stan Martin, Esq. (Commonsense Construction Law LLC)
The symposium will conclude with an informal networking
opportunity.