The news release:
ONTARIO, Calif. - (Business Wire) A growing number of legal disputes never make it into the courtroom. Instead, they are being resolved through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): arbitration, mediation, negotiation and other methods of coming to terms with a conflict without mounting up the costs associated with litigation.
The University of La Verne College of Law will bring together some of the nation's top minds in this evolving practice in a two-day symposium, Forecasting the Future: Cutting Edge Issues in ADR. Leading experts will present insights into the latest trends in technology and techniques, discuss proven strategies, and examine how an understanding of neuroscience can help in reaching resolution.
What: Forecasting the Future: Cutting Edge Issues in ADR
When: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28 (dinner and speaker);
8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 29 (program)
Why: Dramatic developments in ADR will be the topic of the two-day event.
(Up to 7 MCLE credits available for attending the event.)
Where: Sara and Michael Abraham Campus Center, University of La Verne, 200 C. Street, La Verne.
Cost: $90 for both days general admission, $50 for one day, with discounts available to La Verne Law alumni as well as academic, government and nonprofit representatives. La Verne Law students and faculty are free.
“With the cost of litigation mounting and demands on courtroom scheduling at an all-time high, many view ADR as an effective and cost-efficient solution to a variety of legal conflicts,” said La Verne Law Professor, Tiffany Graham. “Even more interesting are the ways in which our
traditional understanding of ADR is changing, especially regarding the ethical rules that govern neutrals and the use of technology, which adds flexibility to the process. We will be discussing all of these topics and more, so the symposium is a must for all practitioners who currently use ADR, as well as those who believe that ADR is in their clients' futures.”
The keynote speaker for the Friday night opening dinner is Judge Stephen Haberfeld of JAMS, the largest private ADR provider in the world. Haberfeld is a former U.S. Magistrate Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, and was an Assistant Watergate Special Prosecutor in Washington, D.C. He is a well known arbitrator in issues related to intellectual property, including entertainment and trademark disputes. In addition to his many roles, he serves on the panel of arbitrators for the Writers Guild of America.
The keynote speaker on Saturday is Professor Thomas J. Stipanowich, Academic Director of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law. He is the author of several articles including, “Is Arbitration the 'New Litigation?,'” in which he addresses new techniques for navigating the ever-changing field of ADR.
Other presenters include: Susan Nauss Exon, Professor of Law at the University of La Verne College of Law and Co-Chair of the Ethics Committee for the American Bar Association (ABA) Section of Dispute Resolution; Kimberlee Kovach, Distinguished Lecturer in Dispute Resolution at the South Texas College of Law and past chair of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution; John Lande, Professor of Law and Director of the LLM Program in Dispute Resolution at the University of Missouri School of Law; Colin Rule, Director of Online Dispute Resolution for eBay and PayPal; and many more.
A panel of national experts will speak on the application of neuroscience and how the science of the brain can affect the ADR process. The panel includes: Richard Birke, Professor of Law and director of the Center for Dispute Resolution at Willamette University College of Law; Dr. Jeffrey M. Schwartz, a research psychiatrist at the School of Medicine at UCLA and a world expert in neuroplasticity; and Pauline Tesler, a partner at Tesler, Sandmann, and Fishman, and specialist in family law.
Most dramatic in this changing practice is how technology impacts the process. In the past, most ADR was conducted in face-to-face settings. Today, disputing parties no longer have to be in the same room. They can engage in online dispute resolution and communicate through facsimiles, e-mails, text messages, instant messages and audio or video conferencing. Twitter? Only time will tell. Technology presents new opportunities, but new challenges as well.
For information, visit http://law.laverne.edu/adr-symposium/
About the University of La Verne College of Law
Located in Ontario, Calif., the University of La Verne College of Law serves more than six million people and is the only ABA-approved law school in Inland Southern California. For more information about La Verne Law, please call (909) 460-2001 or visit http://law.laverne.edu.
for University of La Verne College of Law
Deniene Husted, 714-423-9753
deniene_husted@andrewwilkinllc.com
Yes, technology has the capacity to change the nature of ADR, especially as it gets increasingly sophisticated. Maestro Conferencing would allow parties to caucus in a private room and then return to the main room.I just finished a Teleseminar with Maestro and it was superb.
BTW, congratulations on your fabulous blog. It is always rich with cutting-edge material and inspiring.
Ken Zeno
Fl Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator
Posted by: Ken Zeno | November 17, 2010 at 07:23 PM
Thanks for the very kind words, Ken. And for reading and commenting.
Posted by: StephanieWestAllen | November 19, 2010 at 02:27 PM