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Message From 2022-2023 ADR Section Chair Kathy McLeroy
It is my honor to serve as the Section’s Chair. I look forward to working with our talented Executive Council members and committee chairs this year and I encourage you to get involved.
Committee service for the ADR Section is an excellent way to demonstrate your leadership skills and network with other ADR professionals from across the state.
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The Section provides a forum for the discussion and exchange of ideas regarding alternative dispute resolution. It was created to serve not only lawyers who serve as ADR professionals but also lawyers who participate in alternate dispute resolution through their law practices.
The Section offers many benefits to its members. Not only is it an excellent place to network, it also is a great source of information about alternative dispute resolution. The Section offers quality “on-demand” and live continuing legal education programs that address dispute resolution from almost every angle, whether it be ADR rules, ethics, ADR strategies, the use of technology and health and wellness. In addition to the Section’s robust CLE offerings, we also periodically offer live mentoring academies—one focusing on arbitration and one focusing on mediation. The mentoring academies are hands-on training events that provide unique opportunities to learn from the masters of ADR. Finally, the Section’s electronic publications, The Common Ground and News & Tips, are great sources of information relating to dispute resolution. Past editions are available on our website. I commend these publications to you.
All of the Section benefits that I have described are a result of the contributions of our volunteer Section members. It is through their collective efforts that our Section thrives. If you are a member of The Florida Bar and are interested in alternative dispute resolution, I encourage you to join our Section. If you are a member of our Section who has not actively participated in our Section, I encourage you to become actively involved. Both you and the Section will benefit.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions, comments or suggestions.
Kathy McLeroy
Carlton Fields
2022-23 ADR Section Chair
kmcleroy@carltonfields.com
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September 13 Arbitrator's Forum
The Arbitration Committee of The Florida Bar ADR Section is introducing a brand-new “Arbitrator’s Forum” designed to create a community of better arbitration neutrals in our state. Join your fellow Florida neutrals on Zoom to discuss what works, what puzzles you, and why might improve your practice.
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September 16–17 Section Retreat and CLE
Join us in West Palm Beach for meetings, CLE, networking and fun! The retreat is open to all members of the ADR Section. Events take place at the West Palm Beach Marriott except the Saturday-night dinner.
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Retreat Schedule
Friday, Sept. 16
- 6:30 PM—Reception and Dinner
Saturday, Sept. 17
- 7:30–9 AM—Breakfast
- 9 –11:50 AM—CLE (bit.ly/ADR_6378)
- 12–1 PM—Executive Council Member Lunch
- 1–3 PM—Executive Council Meeting
- 6–8 PM—Dinner and Fun (Drive Shack, 1710 Belvedere Road)
ADR Section members $75; non-section members $100 (both include Friday-night reception/dinner).
REGISTER FOR RETREAT
BOOK ROOMS
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(6378) Effective Mediation and Arbitration Strategies for Generating Resolutions
Sept. 17, 9–11:50 AM live (in-person only). While you're at the retreat, take advantage of this excellent CLE opportunity.
9–9:50 AM: The Florida Mediation Best Practices Handbook: A New Resource for Florida Trial Lawyers and Mediators, Harold D. Oehler, Tampa
10–10:50 AM: Setting the Stage for Resolution – Effective Pre-Mediation Preparation, Jason C. O’Steen, Tallahassee
11–11:50 AM: Non-Binding Arbitration – Making It Work, Chris M. Shulman, Tampa
REGISTER FOR CLE
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Mentoring Academy for Attorney-Mediators | |
Space is limited! Spots are filling quickly for the Sept. 30–Oct. 1 Mentoring Academy, an incredible opportunity to practice your techniques and receive live, immediate feedback from some of Florida's top mediators. Unlike a traditional classroom setting or CLE program, this in-person event features interactive sessions and numerous networking opportunities. The value to your mediation practice is priceless. | |
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Friday, Sept. 30, 2–6 PM Saturday, Oct. 1, 8 AM–4:30 PM
Carlton Fields, 4221 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa
Course no. 5699: General 11.5 CLE/Live CME, Ethics 1 CLE/CME, Technology 1 CLE, Professionalism 7.5 CLE/CME
ADR Section members $455; Non-section members $500 (includes an annual membership in the ADR Section)
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Topics include mindfulness in mediation; coaching on opening statements; a mediation exercise on liability, damages, unprofessional counsel, the use of “take it or leave it” offers/demands and other questionable negotiation techniques, and more; effective use of technology; and insights from former ADR Section chairs. The mediation exercise is a seemingly-innocuous age discrimination and retaliation case, peppered with hidden obstacles and facts designed to test the skills of seasoned mediators and the academy participants. | | |
Mediation Week & October Mixers | | |
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The ABA recognizes the third week in October as Mediation Week to educate the public about mediation.
The ADR Section wants to be a part of this year's Mediation Week festivities by hosting "Mediation Mixers" at various locations around the state.
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Here are some events that are in the works:
September 29—Tampa (Carlton Fields, 4221 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Ste. 1000, 5 PM): Kathy McLeroy, kmcleroy@carltonfields.com. RSVP required.
October 19—Fort Lauderdale (NOVA Law School, 4 – 7 PM): Lori Adelson, lori@hrlawpro.com, and Fran Tetunic, tetunic@nova.edu
October 19—West Palm Beach (The Treehouse, 380 Trinity Place, West Palm Beach, FL 33401, 6 – 8 PM): Adam Myron, AMyron@Cagnetmyronlaw.com, Shari Elessar, sharielessaresq@gmail.com, and Cristina Maldonado, maldonadomediation@gmail.com
October 20—Miami (American Social - Brickell, 690 SW 1st Ct./5:30 PM): Steven Chaneles, chaneles@bellsouth.net, and Patrick Russell, pr@meaningful-mediation.com. Hosted by Salmon & Dulberg.
October 27—Orlando (The Monroe, 448 N. Terry Avenue, Orlando, 5 PM): Lawrence Kolin, Lkolin@uww-adr.com, and Roy Kobert, roy.kobert@gray-robinson.com
Dates/locations/times TBA:
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Join Natalie Paskiewicz for Paz Mediation's 6th Anniversary Party at Red Mesa Cantina in St. Pete on Sept. 21 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM. Click here or on the image above to RSVP. The restaurant would like a final RSVP by Sept. 7. | |
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Is your firm as efficient as it could be if you were using technology to your advantage? Are you sure you're protecting your clients' confidential data? Join attorney Sarah E. Kay to learn tips and tricks for using Microsoft's suite of software in your practice. Find out how technology can boost your productivity and improve your bottom line. Click the titles below to register. ADR Section members register for each CLE for only $50.
"Sarah is a wealth of knowledge for tricks and shortcuts to improve your practice. Her enthusiasm is contagious and draws in the practitioner with limited knowledge of technology. This CLE is valuable."
~ Former ADR Section Chair Kim W. Torres
Sept. 7, 12–1 PM: Microsoft Excel Tips & Tricks. This CLE is designed for practitioners who may be uncomfortable, unfamiliar, or only generally familiar with the basic use of Excel and want to start leveraging the power it offers to boost productivity through simple formulas, data analysis, and presentation. Course number 5937. Credits: 1 CLE; 1 Technology CLE.
Sept. 21, 12–1 PM: Taming the Email Beast—Practical and Ethical Communication Practices. Leverage the power of technology to keep your inbox clean, tidy, and manageable and reduce the risk of a missed message. Course number 5938. Credits: 1 CLE; 1 Technology CLE; 0.5 can be used toward Ethics.
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*More Great CLE With Bundle Discounts* | |
The program is intended to provide experienced civil litigators and trial lawyers, as well as mid-level lawyers doing their first mediations, with do’s, don’ts, and tips for better advocating for their client in a mediation, which is radically different than advocating for a client in a court setting. In addition, the program will discuss professional ethical problems in the mediation setting, including references to specific Florida Bar Rules of Professional Conduct.
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Online CLE: The Florida Bar's InReach catalog contains the ADR Section's full line of CLE programming. See what's coming up or download online seminars and downloadable audio 24/7. Click here to go directly to the sort for ADR-themed courses. | |
Historic Litigator-Mediator Forum | |
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In case you missed it, The Florida Bar ADR and Trial Lawyers Sections recently hosted a Litigator-Mediator Forum, a first-of-its-kind meeting of trial lawyers and mediators from across the state. Its goals were to improve the mediation process in Florida and possibly ease the courts' backlog.
Under the leadership of ADR Section EC member Harold Oehler, the sections partnered on the unique event, a President’s Showcase CLE at the Bar’s Annual Convention. Graphic artist Viola Clark took keywords from the participants’ input and combined them into a memorable image. Audience suggestions also were sent to the editors of the second edition of the “Florida Mediation Best Practices Handbook.” It will be released this fall.
Host a Litigator-Mediator Forum in Your Area
In order to continue the momentum from the statewide forum, we are looking for a few mediation leaders around the state to help us coordinate Litigator-Mediation Forums in their communities. Bringing a forum to the trial lawyers and mediators in your area can be done in three easy steps:
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Make a phone call. Contact a local trial lawyer or corporate counsel group that may be interested in hosting a Litigator-Mediator Forum. Share the following: forum description, Florida Bar News article about the statewide forum, and the Florida Mediation Best Practices Handbook. (Share with your contact that ideas collected at their event will be considered for publication in the handbook.)
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Share Your Experience. Set up a Zoom or phone call with other leaders of the organization to discuss the benefits of the event. Explain that lawyers in other communities have shared their ideas for improving mediation with the editors of the Handbook, so why shouldn’t they have a voice? Explain that this CLE may be offered as a one- or two-hour panel debate and audience discussion either live, online or both. It may be part of a lunch, dinner or free-standing program. Keep in mind that a forum may be dedicated to improving mediation for a particular type of case, i.e., employment or personal injury claims.)
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Participate on the Panel. If you are the first to organize a forum in your city, you may choose to fill one of the two mediator spots on the panel. The new format for the forum calls for two trial lawyers, two mediators and two in-house counsel. Any of these roles may be substituted with an adjuster, risk manager or a litigant who has mediated a claim. Everyone’s perspectives are important and add to the insights shared at your event.
If you would like to participate in a local Forum, please contact Harold Oehler, Outreach Chair for The Florida Bar’s ADR Section, at 813-758-6284 or Harold@OehlerMediation.com.
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Dispute Resolution Conference | |
The ADR Section was well-represented at the Florida Courts Dispute Resolution Center's 30th Annual Conference and many ADR Section members were among the presenters. The ADR Section also was a sponsor for the conference, which features nationally recognized speakers, thought-provoking and timely general plenary sessions and a wide selection of individual workshops. Kudos to the ADR Section members—several of whom are Executive Council members—who were selected as speakers for this prestigious event! | |
ADR Section Annual Meeting | |
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L-R: Patrick Russell and Kathy McLeroy, Kim Torres, Harold Oehler and Patrick Russell, our hard-working Executive Council, Patrick Russell and Hadas Stagman, Lawrence Kolin and Patrick Russell
The ADR Section holds its annual and all-member meetings during the Annual Florida Bar Convention, and this year's events were in Orlando. Outgoing Chair Patrick Russell presented embroidered polo shirts and engraved name badges to EC members during the meeting as a "thank you" for their hard work. Before passing the gavel to 2022-2023 Chair Kathy McLeroy, Patrick presented several awards:
These officers were elected during the meeting: Chair Kathleen S. McLeroy, Chair-Elect Christy Foley, Treasurer Ana Cristina Maldonado "Cristina" and Secretary Natalie L. Paskiewicz. We also welcomed four new EC members: Chardean M. Hill, Gregory P. Holder, Frederick J. Lauten and Megan Moschell.
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ADR Section Member Survey. We recently conducted a comprehensive membership survey that asks you precisely what it is that you want out of the Section. We carefully crafted the survey so we can address your needs and develop a long-range and strategic plan that represents the interests of all members. Thank you to everyone who took the time to thoughtfully review and reply. The results from the survey will guide the future direction and initiatives of the Section.
The Common Ground. In case you missed it, The Common Ground is the ADR Section's premiere publication and features articles by some of the nation's top attorney-mediators. The Summer 2022 issue recently was posted. Special thanks to co-editors Ana Cristina Maldonado and Natalie Paskiewicz for yet another amazing publication.
Committee Service. If you're looking for a way to get involved with the Section, try joining a committee. All committee meetings are virtual and offer excellent networking opportunities. Why wait? Complete your committee preference form today.
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