The National Mediation Conference in Australia has made the proceedings of its biennial gathering available online at http://www.mediationconference.com.au/.  Included in the materials online are podcasts of more than fifty presentations by prominent mediation figures from across Australia.  You’ll also find Alain Lempereur’s keynote address there, discussing his “track 1-and-a-half” efforts at mediation-meets-diplomacy in Burundi.  Kudos … Continue reading National Mediation Conference – Australia →

From the National Law Journal earlier today (available here): “1st Circuit deems plaintiffs who achieved settlement ‘prevailing parties’ entitled to fees” by Sheri Qualters Parties who achieve litigation goals through settlement, as opposed to a verdict or a formal consent decree, are nonetheless “prevailing parties” eligible for attorney fees, the U.S. Court of Appeals for … Continue reading Settlements and Fees for Prevailing Parties →

According to CNN (report here) Dennis Kucinich has settled his lawsuit against the House of Representatives cafeteria, which allegedly served him an olive mistakenly advertised as sans pit.  The pit in question caused the member of congress in question to chip his tooth, the story reports, and the MoC then had to undergo what sounded … Continue reading Dennis Kucinich Settles Dispute Over Olive →

At the encouragement of David White (Seton Hall), I took USA Network’s website quiz designed to tell me if I have the potential to be a mediator. The screenshot below will give you all the information you need: I’ve been called a lot of things.  “Magnificent” hadn’t been one of them until this evening. I … Continue reading I have promise as a mediator — the internet said so →

I heard from a reliable source that the CPR Institute awarded its Annual Prize for Problem Solving in the Law School Curriculum to the Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Program.  I haven’t, however, found anything about it on the CPR website.  I know that Bob Bordone has been doing some great work with that clinical, … Continue reading CPR Prizes ? →

USA Network has announced its new TV show about a mediator.  Site here. The trailer shows a judge referring insane parties to mediation in a manner not all that dissimilar from real judicial referrals I’ve witnessed.  Everyone on the TV show is beautiful, of course.  And good thing, too, because I’d hate for anyone out … Continue reading It Was Bound To Happen … →

This was the email subject line from a former student who sent me a link to the recently released dissenting opinion (available here) in Sarei v. Rio Tinto — a case alleging human rights violations in the context of the Papua New Guinea civil war.  There was no majority opinion, just an order referring the … Continue reading Mediating the French Revolution →

Ron Johnson defeated Russ Feingold in Wisconsin earlier this week.  Feingold had been the sponsor of the Arbitration Fairness Act for years. I’ve now spent (read: wasted) a good amount of time on the web, trying to figure out what Ron Johnson’s position might be on the AFA and other ADR-related measures.  I have some … Continue reading The Arbitration Fairness Act’s Sponsor →

Almost two decades ago, in what feels like a different lifetime, I did some work with folks who were focusing on questions of how best to teach productive conflict management skills to school-age children.  I confess that some shiny object or another distracted me from that inquiry, and I haven’t spent much time thinking about … Continue reading ADR and Bullying →

An informal organization of former members of Congress, from both sides of the political aisle, has released a call for “a civil and productive 112th Congress.”  They embrace the ideas of both partisanship and bipartisanship, but reject the politics of division and vilification. Available at www.fmocforcommonground.org, the open letter from these former members of Congress … Continue reading Former Members of Congress for Common Ground →