If you’re going to the ABA Dispute Resolution Section’s Spring Conference in Chicago next week (April 3-6), I’d like to invite you to a lunch discussion during the Court ADR Symposium on Wednesday. I’ll be facilitating the discussion, “Developing a Structure and Process to Set the Mediation Research Agenda,” which will explore the possibility of taking research about ADR in the court context to a new level through the creation of a national Court ADR Research Consortium. (The ABA requires lunch registration.) (more…)
Archive for the ‘People & Events’ Category
RSI Talking about Research and Ethics at the ABA Dispute Resolution Section Conference
Jennifer Shack, March 28th, 2013Farewell to Skadden Fellow
Susan Yates, September 27th, 2012For blog readers who are used to getting the latest foreclosure mediation news here, I am sorry to say that Heather Scheiwe Kulp – foreclosure ADR guru and RSI Skadden Fellow – is leaving RSI for a clinical spot at Harvard Law School. Who could blame Harvard for scooping Heather up at the end of her Skadden Fellowship? In Heather’s absence, we will continue to provide readers with the latest news on foreclosure, just as we do with other court ADR news, but we certainly will miss her!
For two years, Heather worked with RSI and the Center for Conflict Resolution (our affiliate organization) to improve access to justice for poor and low-income disputants (more…)
Honoring Roger Fisher, ADR Leader and Innovator
Heather Scheiwe Kulp, August 29th, 2012Most law school or business school students will, at some point, be asked to read, “Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In.” Written in 1981, the ideas the book espouses form the basis for much negotiation and mediation theory taught today. Any ADR practitioner, whether they’ve read the book or not, can give thanks for the life of Roger Fisher, Professor Emeritus at Harvard Law School and co-author of “Getting to Yes,” who passed away August 25, 2012.
Roger Fisher’s experiences in World War II prompted him to look for another, better way to resolve conflict without sacrificing people’s individual needs and interests. Thus, along with William Ury and Bruce Patton, Mr. Fisher developed the principle that people can be moved from focusing on their positions to identifying their underlying interests and coming up with creative solutions to have those interests met. The authors also co-founded Harvard’s Program on Negotiation and wrote extensively on negotiation theory and practice.
His ongoing work to promote peace through understanding each other’s true needs will forever shape the landscape of ADR. His passing is a loss to us all.
Anticipating the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Conference
Heather Scheiwe Kulp, January 3rd, 2012Over the holidays, I visited a relative who works at a major retail store. I wanted to purchase a long, warm winter coat to ward off the cold Chicago wind. With a smirk, she led me to what was, only a few weeks before, the coat section. It was filled with swim suits.
While I’m not ready to exchange my mittens for a beach blanket quite yet, I am thinking fondly about the upcoming spring activities in the ADR world. Specifically, I’m excited to hear (more…)
Termination of Mandatory Statewide Foreclosure Mediation in Florida Leads to a Few Lessons
Heather Scheiwe Kulp, December 20th, 2011The Florida Supreme Court issued an order Monday, December 19, 2011, terminating the mandatory mediation program it created in 2009 as an emergency measure to deal with the foreclosure flood in Florida. While individual circuits can create localized mediation programs or refer foreclosures cases to mediation on a case-by-case basis, and some programs commit to remaining active, the statewide program will receive no new referrals as of yesterday.
Without commenting on whether this is a good or a not-so-good move, (more…)