Mediation Week 2022

Every October, we celebrate the impact of the mediation process and its professionals on the many disputes in the world. Mediation Week in Florida and elsewhere marks the importance of dispute resolution as an effective substitute to litigation. In fact, mediation has helped litigants get through our recent challenges, evolving to widely accepted remote attendance allowing parties to resolve disputes without trial in a still backed-up court system. Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) has been used by Florida courts for more than 30 years. Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) will now serve as an official option following the pandemic through sessions conducted with readily available technology. Florida's Dispute Resolution Center continues to require specific standards set by the Florida Supreme Court in the areas of county, family, circuit, dependency, and appellate mediation during these virtual sessions. Mediation week brings annual focus on ADR work and highlights how individuals, administrative agencies, and businesses can use mediation to develop efficient and customized solutions to conflicts. Just by searching #mediationweek online, you may find a variety of resources from venerable organizations like the American Bar Association (ABA) or the Federal Mediation and Concilliation Service (FMCS) which is celebrating its 75th anniversary with free programs on cutting-edge topics, practices, and examinations on conflict prevention, management, and resolution this week. See more here-- https://fmcs.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_b03eGSkmQ_uK2CiCk0U1vQ

ABA Announces Theme For Mediation Week

The theme for this year’s American Bar Association (ABA) Mediation Week is "Mediation, Civility and the Power of Understanding." As lawyers and mediators, we understand both the challenges and rewards of helping parties in conflict reach an agreement by getting past differences in positions, by understanding each other’s perspectives better, and by finding ways to get their important interests met while staying true to their values and belief systems. Programs held during ABA Mediation Week will provide neutrals, advocates and policy makers with inspiration and tools necessary to bridge the gap that often prevents amicable resolution of disputes. Over the last few decades the field of alternative dispute resolution has grown tremendously, helping to clear dockets in the courts. The recognition that not all cases are well suited for the adversarial process and that there are multiple paths to justice is increasingly shared by attorneys, judges, and the public. Since 2011, the ABA declared Mediation Week as the third week of October, building on the prior efforts of many other national, state, and local organizations, including the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) which have traditionally celebrated conflict resolution during the month of October. ABA Mediation Week celebrates of the strides in institutionalizing mediation as one of several appropriate dispute resolution processes. Since this is an officially listed ABA Journal "Blawg," you will see more about ABA Mediation Week which will be held during October 15-21 this year. See more here-- http://bit.ly/2wuJ9Nx and http://bit.ly/2wmsqgg

National Love Your Lawyer Day

What do you call 1,000 lawyers at the bottom of...you know the jokes. But joking aside, it's love your lawyer day. Apparently, the idea was first hatched in 2001 by the American Lawyer Public Image Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the positive public image of lawyers. This is the first year it's been recognized by the American Bar Association's Law Practice Division, which passed a recent resolution to observe the first Friday of each November going forward. I've read some of the press this week covering this day and have seen mostly disdain for the occasion. Lawyers obviously play a prominent role in American cultural life and, heroes aside, their ethical behavior is sometimes reflected poorly in pop culture, television and movies. In reality, lawyers have been some of the most productive members of our society and have had great impact on our American experiment. In regard to the Framers of the Constitution, more than half of the delegates were trained as lawyers. I would venture to say that the importance of lawyers in society cannot be overemphasized. Alexis d’Tocqueville long ago observed in his commentary on law in the United States, that there are few political questions that that do not become, sooner or later, a judicial question. Lawyers in an adversarial system are agents of order in a society that may not otherwise exist without them. Contributions of lawyers are widely unheralded, especially in pro bono work that almost no other profession takes upon itself to deliver. Of course, it has been said that lawyers perform a critical role in the administration of the rule of law under the requirements of justice, namely fair outcomes arrived at through fair procedures. Settling cases within the legal system remains the best way of avoiding conflict among citizens. I just wish the emphasis of this day of recognition had been more on that. See summary of news coverage here-- http://bit.ly/1iHIca4 and ABA resolution here-- https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/images/abanews/LoveYourLawyerDay.pdf

Conflict Resolution Day during Mediation Week

Today is Conflict Resolution Day which promotes awareness of mediation, arbitration, conciliation and other creative, peaceful means of resolving conflict in businesses, communities, governments and the legal system. Likewise, it is Mediation Week and October has become a time to promote and celebrate peaceful conflict resolution practices worldwide. Dedicated dispute resolution practitioners are helping to educate the public about mediation and other innovative conflict management processes. The American Bar Association's "ABA Mediation Week” is held every year in conjunction with many other national, state, and local organizations, including the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR). The State of Florida has also issued a proclamation in recognition of promoting mediation as an alternative to litigation while observing Mediation Week in the Sunshine State. The ABA has wonderful ADR links in its Mediation in the Mainstream themed toolkit found here: http://www.americanbar.org/groups/dispute_resolution/resources/mediation_week_toolkit.html The ACR has a dedicated page with great information here: http://www.acrnet.org/crday/