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RSI Proudly Celebrates 30-Year Anniversary

Heather Fogg, February 21st, 2025

This year marks an incredible milestone as Resolution Systems Institute (RSI) celebrates 30 years of impact! As someone who counts herself among those who have benefited from the work of RSI over the years, I am deeply grateful for the strong foundation RSI stands on today. As we reflect on three decades of service, we appreciate and consider ourselves fortunate to recall the countless lives touched, the ADR programs improved, the knowledge gained and the amazing partners who have walked beside us throughout this journey.

Our “Pearl” Anniversary: The 30th anniversary has been described as the pearl anniversary, in part because pearls have come to symbolize wisdom gained through experience, growth through change, resilience and honesty. The development of a pearl can also be a metaphor for what ADR can accomplish: Sometimes, the things that cause irritation and friction ultimately become something beautiful, such as a pearl — or a better grasp of a former adversary’s shared humanity.

My colleagues and fellow alternative dispute resolution (ADR) researchers introduced me to RSI while we worked on similarly ambitious projects for evaluating statewide efforts to implement ADR and program-specific survey evaluations of court ADR programs. I learned of the foreclosure and eviction mediation programs through our common court ADR panel presentations at national conferences. I quickly came to rely on RSI as a resource that included the most current innovations, advances and findings in the field of ADR. RSI has always been on the forefront and continues to shape the field by improving our understanding of court ADR.

From RSI’s humble beginnings as a big idea shared among colleagues in a casual conversation, we set out to impact court ADR by growing and sharing knowledge. What began as a small group of passionate individuals dedicated to court ADR has now grown into a well-established force for change, strengthening access to justice by enhancing court alternative dispute resolution systems.

A Journey Through Time: 30 Years of Progress

Over the years, RSI has experienced both challenges and triumphs, and each step along the way has renewed our commitment to court ADR. When we look back at the moments and events that have shaped us, we can’t help but feel immense pride in what we’ve accomplished:

  • Guiding Program Design: In the late 1990s, RSI helped get civil case mediation off the ground in Illinois by providing expert guidance to Illinois state courts and federal courts as they established civil case ADR programs. Over time, we worked on programs with a broader array of case types and parties, and helped programs nationally; and in 2007, informed by our own research, RSI created the Statewide Mediation Access Project to develop programs to improve access to justice through mediation for low-income disputants. As our mission statement affirms, guiding and supporting court efforts to strengthen access to justice through court ADR has been a throughline in RSI’s work ever since.
  • Studying What Works, and Creating Tools to Support It: In 2003, RSI Director of Research Jennifer Shack’s article “Mediation Can Bring Gains, But Under What Conditions?” summarized a survey of the findings of 62 studies of court-related mediation. The article posited that the ADR field must focus less on whether mediation is effective, and more on the circumstances under which it is most effective. To a large degree, RSI’s research over the years has continued to examine the article’s overarching question by evaluating the program design and impacts of court ADR in child protection, foreclosure and eviction cases, as well as more recent advancements of online dispute resolution. This research has also informed our development of tools to assist programs in conducting accessible, effective ADR. Examples include RSI’s recent studies of text-based online dispute resolution programs; our ODR Party Engagement (OPEN) study, guides and models; and our ongoing research on what leads to trust during mediation.
  • Responding to Immediate Needs: In 2013, RSI responded to the foreclosure crisis by providing courts throughout the U.S. resources and technical assistance, offering mediator training, and designing and administering foreclosure mediation programs in three Illinois counties. In 2016, we expanded our mediation services, developing and administering a child protection mediation program in Kane County, Illinois. And in 2021, responding to the pandemic-induced eviction crisis, we launched eviction mediation programs in three Illinois counties. RSI’s mediation programs have provided direct services to thousands of people over the years. But they also serve as an active knowledge base, enabling us to learn more about that question raised by Jen Shack’s 2003 article; in short, what works? 

Each of these pivotal moments in our history is a testament to the hard work of our dedicated staff, Board, donors, funding partners and supporters.

Looking Ahead: The Next 30 Years

While we celebrate our past, we’re also looking toward the future. The world continues to change, and so do the challenges we face. Through it all, our mission remains as important and relevant as ever. In the coming years, we are committed to:

Join Us in Celebrating!
We’ll be celebrating all year long! Please stay tuned here for more ways to connect and join us in celebration as we share details of programs and events to come!

  • Eliminating Barriers: We believe that strengthening access to justice by enhancing court ADR gives more people an array of options for resolving conflict in ways that feel fair and facilitate mutual understanding.
  • Innovating: We will continue to explore new projects to explore the use of technological advancements in ADR while addressing the pressing issues of reducing barriers to access to justice for everyone.
  • Expanding our Reach: As a convener, we plan to extend our impact even further by bringing together court administrators and ADR program directors to share insights, successes and challenges.

A Heartfelt Thank You

None of this would have been possible without the support of our incredible ADR community. To our Board members, donors, roster mediators, partners, funders, collaborators, staff and all of those who have stood with us over the years, thank you. Your unwavering belief in our mission has been a driving force behind every success.

As we mark our 30th anniversary, we are excited to celebrate not just what we have achieved, but also the promise of what’s yet to come. The future is bright, and we are so grateful to have you by our side as we continue this journey together.

Here’s to 30 years of impact — and to the many more years ahead!

Access to Justice Can Change Lives for Good

Heather Fogg, December 3rd, 2024

Dear Friends of RSI,

Do you know what it feels like to join a group you have admired from afar and benefitted from for years? I do, and I’m so proud and humbled today to share with you what it means to me and how you can support our continued work too.

Make a Difference: Donate Today to RSI. Our mission is to strengthen access to justice by enhancing court ADR systems.

Every day, I imagine a world where all people in conflict have access to tools and support that empower them to strengthen relationships rather than further straining or destroying them. This year, I joined the incredible people at Resolution Systems Institute who believe this world is possible — and we think you might believe this too.

Consider this: If you or someone you love faced an overwhelming dispute, what options would you want fully available to help navigate it?

By making your gift today, you are helping RSI strengthen access to justice by enhancing court alternative dispute resolution systems. You are opening the door for more people to have more options for resolving conflict in ways that feel fair and facilitate mutual understanding. Through projects like our ODR Party Engagement (OPEN) Project and our Trust Project, RSI’s research turns ADR user feedback and researcher observations into practical and actionable guidance for those who run ADR programs.

Our guides, models, tools and programs are used by courts across the US to reduce barriers to justice, and we continually expand our projects to increase our impact.

Like most worthwhile endeavors, our success depends on a supportive network — and we need you on our team to keep breaking down barriers to justice.

So now, I invite you too to join RSI, by making a donation.

Your gift to RSI sustains our ability to conduct innovative research, provide high-quality mediation services, and offer the practical tools that courts and others rely on to implement systems-level change.

Thank you for believing in our vision and helping to create a reality of access to justice for everyone by enhancing our court ADR systems. Your contribution makes all the difference!

Please make your donation now at aboutrsi.org/donate, or send your check to RSI at 11 East Adams St., Suite 500, Chicago, Illinois, 60603. RSI is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and your donation is tax-deductible as provided by law.

Heather V. Fogg
Chief Executive Officer

Farewell RSI: Gratefully Recalling Milestones on an Incredible Journey

Susan M. Yates, June 13th, 2024

With my last day as Executive Director at RSI — July 12, 2024 — rapidly approaching, I’m experiencing a bit of nostalgia, especially as I think back to the earliest years of RSI.

I wasn’t there at the very beginning, but as the story goes, the organization started in 1995 when a small group of lawyers and judges gathered around a fireplace in a hotel lobby after a mediation training and hatched the idea for a nonprofit entity that would assist court mediation programs. They called it the Center for Analysis of Alternative Dispute Resolution Systems (CAADRS).

I got involved soon thereafter as a consultant working on a research project. Then the executive committee of CAADRS hired me as its first full-time staff person, in 1997. One of my first tasks was to define the original mission: Collect and disseminate reliable information about court ADR.

In 1999, I hired Jennifer Shack, now RSI’s Director of Research, not knowing this would be the best decision I ever made at RSI. For me, working with Jen for these 25 years has been the greatest gift of my career.

Over the ensuing years, there have been many milestones. Here are a few that stand out to me:

  • CAADRS was an early user of the internet, launching a website to disseminate reliable resources about court ADR
  • CAADRS changed its name to Resolution Systems Institute (Whew!)
  • RSI spun off from our original home as part of the Center for Conflict Resolution, becoming an independent nonprofit
  • RSI more than doubled in size to respond to the foreclosure crisis — providing mediation services in three jurisdictions, training mediators all across Illinois, developing data collection tools and conducting two in-depth evaluations
  • RSI developed and operated more mediation programs — first in child protection cases and then in eviction cases in response to the COVID pandemic
  • More recently, RSI has decided to double down on our strengths in research and evaluation with the hiring of additional staff and taking on more projects
  • For many years now, our mission statement has been “strengthening access to justice by enhancing court ADR systems”

If I started naming the names of all those who have supported RSI and me over these years, there would be no end to this post. Suffice to say I am deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this incredible journey. 

Fortunately, I am leaving RSI in good hands. Transitioning into the role previously held by a founding executive director is no small feat, but I know Heather Fogg is up to the challenge and will do a great job as the next RSI leader. Please join me in welcoming and supporting her!


Welcome, Heather!

I am not a gambler, but I would bet no child has ever answered the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” with “I want to run a nonprofit that helps improve access to justice by enhancing court ADR.” Well, there are now two people who could have said that: RSI’s incoming CEO Heather Fogg, and me.

Heather’s first day at RSI will be June 17, 2024. Please join me in welcoming her!

Heather is going to do such a great job building on RSI’s past successes and taking the organization to new heights. Here are just a few of the qualities she brings to this position:

> A passion for quality ADR and the role it can play in enhancing access to justice

> Deep experience with ADR, in particular mediation and restorative justice

> Knowledge of court mediation, especially focusing on quality

> Skills in communication and a focus on excellence

> Background in and enthusiasm for the role research can play in improving court ADR

Heather’s knowledge, expertise and character should assure everyone that this next phase for RSI will be an exciting one that is full of opportunity and success. Please join me in welcoming Heather on June 17!

Jennifer Shack, left, and Susan Yates “then” and now.

Does ADR + Tech = Better Access to Justice? RSI Spent Much of 2022 Trying to Find Out

Sandy Wiegand, May 2nd, 2023

RSI spends a lot of time and energy studying the conditions under which court-based alternative dispute resolution (ADR) can best improve access to justice. In recent years, that has often meant using new technologies and/or assessing their impact.

As is often the case with innovations, ADR options that employ new technology are sometimes hailed as the solution to longstanding challenges. For example, online dispute resolution (ODR) is celebrated for its potential to increase access to justice by allowing parties to engage on their own schedules, in their own spaces. Unfortunately, however, technological innovations can also bring challenges and create their own barriers to justice.

RSI’s 2022 annual report asks the question: Does ADR + Tech = Better Access to Justice? Our staff spent much of last year examining that premise. We published two landmark evaluations of court programs that used ODR-specific platforms; completed an in-depth report on the potential for ODR to serve thinly resourced parents, courts and communities; and used video mediation to serve hundreds of clients in northern Illinois. We also evaluated how those programs were operating and how participants viewed them.

Our annual report outlines these efforts and summarizes some of our findings. Not surprisingly, we found both promising signs and causes for concern when it came to technology’s impact on access to justice. We also discovered a lot more questions that need to be answered and problems that need to be addressed.

We hope you will take the time to read the Resolution Systems Institute 2022 Annual Report and review what we have learned so far. The role of technology is, of course, just one of many aspects of court-based ADR that RSI is examining. Please join us as we continue exploring what technology can and can’t solve, as well as other keys to providing cost-effective, timely and fair conflict resolution.

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