Fall 2006 Committee Meeting Minutes
The Missouri Bar
Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee
Fall Meeting Minutes
Friday, November 17, 2006
The following summary is arranged under the items on the circulated agenda. The agenda appears in bold and the summary in regular type.
1. Welcome Introductions
New members in attendance were introduced and all members were given an opportunity to introduce themselves while an attendance sheet was circulated.
2. Review of Committee Purpose and Current Projects
The scope of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee was read from the 2006- 2007 Missouri Bar Committee Officers’ Manual. The Committee’s scope is “to consider and advise the Board of Governors on the development of all appropriate alternative dispute resolution possibilities which will improve the administration of justice in Missouri."
3. Subcommittees Reports
Members were asked to volunteer for subcommittees, through which much of the ADR Committee’s work is done.
A. Arbitration
i. An update of the spring subcommittee report was prepared and submitted by Jim Keller, chair of the Arbitration Subcommittee. An electronic version of the report is available here (PDF - 24 pages).
B. Mediation
i. Kathleen Bird discussed the 2006 Report of the ADR Commission of the Supreme Court on Domestic Relations Dispute Resolution. An electronic version of her report outline is available here (PDF - 2 pages).
ii. Members were urged to submit comments on the report through the Association of Missouri Mediators by emailing momediators@mediate.com. If comments are sent directly to the Supreme Court, please copy AMM so that a central list of concerns and ideas can be maintained.
C. Collaborative Law
i. Steve Stark, the chair of the Collaborative Law Subcommittee, gave an update on the newly formed Mid-Missouri Collaborative & Cooperative Law Association (MMCCLA) and discussed a possible training in this area for 2007. He also gave a report on the Commission of Pro Se Litigation, which is preparing a desk book for pro-bono attorneys and asked for suggestions on mediation resources.
D. Legislation
i. The scope of the Legislation Subcommittee is to review and comment on legislation as requested by Catherine Barrie, the Bar’s senior legislative counsel. Sarah Read asked for volunteers. She also stated that proposals the committee members wanted to raise with respect to legislation should be raised in the appropriate subcommittee.
E. Educational Outreach/Marketing
i. Sarah Read played a CD prepared by the Virginia Mediation Network which promoted mediation and provided information for parties on the mediation process. Those present discussed the pros and cons of a similar project for this committee.
4. Discussion of Possible CLE Programs or Program Segments
It was agreed by those present that the ADR Committee should work with other substantive law committees in providing CLE programs. Members of the committee expressed an interest in providing a variety ADR related segments for programs in other areas. A sign up sheet for potential ADR CLE topics was circulated. The substantive law areas suggested for ADR segments included employment law, tort liability, family law, real estate law, and negotiation ethics. It was also suggested that some of these programs could be made available through teleconferencing. A CLE program is also being considered as part of the spring 2007 meeting. The topic is yet to be determined.
If you would like to be considered as a presenter for a CLE segment, please send your name, proposed topic including the substantive area of law to be discussed, and program length to Sarah Read at sjr@readadr.com.
Several upcoming ADR programs were announced. An extensive list of such programs is included at the end of the minutes.
Following the meeting, the chair received a program announcement from Larry Swall regarding the AFCC and MARCH 2007 Annual Spring Conference, featuring Joan B. Kelly, Ph.D., on The Alienated Child: A Reformation of Parental Alienation Syndrome and The Use of Parenting Coordinator in High Conflict Cases. This day and a half multi-disciplinary presentation for therapists, mediators, evaluators, guardian ad litems, family law attorneys, and judges is scheduled for Thursday, March 8th and Friday, March 9th at the Crowne Plaza St. Louis Airport. For more information contact Larry Swall at LVSwall@aol.com.
Jim Reeves announced that a webcast, of a program scheduled for December 1st, on “Winning in Litigation and Dispute Resolution: Critical Decision Making for Litigators” would be available on the Washington University Law School’s website as well as on usam-midwest.com.
If you know of an upcoming ADR training that should be listed on our website, please email Sarah Read (sjr@readadr.com) or Kathleen Bird (kathleen.bird@courts.mo.gov).
5. New Business
A. Mentors
i. Committee members were asked to consider signing up to be a mentor for the Missouri Bar’s mentoring program.
B. Website
i. Kathleen Bird agreed to help monitor and improve the committee’s website. More volunteers are welcome!
C. Other
i. An announcement was made regarding the University of Missouri Law School’s involvement with a developing ombudsmen program relating to the reemployment of returning veterans. If you would like to know more about this program, or would be available to potentially volunteer in the future, please contact Paul Ladehoff.
6. Adjourn
Appendix: Upcoming ADR Training Opportunities
Informational Meeting Restorative Justice for the Juvenile Victim/Offender Dialogue Training
November 28, 2006
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
Juvenile Victim/Offender Dialogue Training
December 9 – 10, 2006
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
Mediation Training for Civil Cases
January 8 – 10, 2007
University of Missouri, School of Law, Columbia, MO
Mediation Competition Judging
February 5, 6, & &, 2007
University of Missouri, School of Law, Columbia, MO
Civil Mediation Training
February 8 – 10, 2007
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
Family Mediation Training
February 10 – 12, 2007
Missouri State University, Springfield, MO
ADR in Estate Planning
February 20, 2007
MOBar Telephone Seminar
Ethical Issues in ADR
February 27, 2007
MOBar Telephone Seminar
Mediation Training for Civil Cases
June 6 – 8, 2007
University of Missouri, School of Law, Columbia, MO
Heartland Regional Conference
April 19 -21, 2007
Overland Park, KS
International Ombuds Association’s Conference
April 2007
St. Louis, MO
Webcast Programs on Collaborative Advocacy:
http://www.worldusabilityday.org/event/webcasts
http://www.worldusabilityday.org/event/show/97
AMM Blog:
momediator.blogspot.com
To post an entry, email it to momediators@mediate.com.