Breaking News
Commercial Section Announces Program for 2011 Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute
Without any doubt, the 2011 Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute (ACMI) will challenge experienced Mediators to expand their knowledge and skills in order to address increasingly complex commercial issues and disputes. This year’s theme of “Beyond Settlement Broker: Enhancing your Value as a Mediator” will be developed by an impressive group of ADR professionals. We are pleased to have the American Institute of Mediation (AIM) join with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) to co-sponsor ACMI in collaboration with ACR. The popular keynote luncheon speakers for the program will be Doug Noll and Ken Cloke. Click here to view the entire ACMI program schedule, topics and speakers.
The two-day program will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, October 12 and 13, 2011, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina in San Diego, California. It is part of ACR’s 2011 Annual Conference being held from October 12-15, which features special events and workshops on a broad range of ADR specialties and issues. Click here for Commercial Section workshops and events or view the entire Conference details.
Special registration packages are available for ACMI participants. The best registration bargain for non-ACR members is an All-inclusive Package at the Early-Bird rate of $695. This gives you the benefits of a full year of membership in ACR, the two-day ACMI program and full access to the ACR Conference workshops and events. The best deal for ACR members is the ACMI Plus Conference Package at the Early-Bird rate of $500. Registration is limited to 60 people. Early-Bird registration ends September 12, 2011. Click to access the registration form or online registration. ACR members must login to receive the member rates.
WELCOME TO THE COMMERCIAL SECTION
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Message to Members of the Commercial Section
From the Advisory Council Dear Commercial Section Colleagues: There are many new developments taking place in the Commercial Section this year that will increase the benefits and value of your membership in our Section. We want to increase your participation in Section activities and events and encourage you to contact us and get involved. We are growing and on the go!
New Focus on Consumer Issues: Welcome Members of the Former Consumer Section
We are delighted to welcome all of the members of the former ACR Consumer Section, which has chosen to merge with us, as full members of the Commercial Section. This addition of people with specialized experience will allow the Section to focus more on consumer issues and the interaction and relationships between businesses and consumers from both perspectives. Consequently, we have created the Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Committee within the Section with its own dedicated portion of our website. With these new members, who have both the knowledge and interest in this field, we will be able to address timely and important B2C issues and developments. We expect to collaborate with other Sections in ACR, such as, Courts, Workplace and Family to expand the resources available and utilize their expertise.
Discussions are underway to examine what is currently being done to use Mediation as a means of resolving mortgage foreclosure problems and what might be done to improve this process and expand the use of ADR. Because of the large numbers of residential foreclosures and the financial magnitude of these defaults, foreclosure has become not only a family tragedy but also a local, State and national problem, which is expected to continue in the near future.
Please send us your ideas and suggestions for issues and activities we might undertake that can more effectively settle problems and improve the B2C relationship. Because the Consumer Section did not have a website, we especially need your ideas for topics and material you want to see on the B2C webpage.
New Members of the Section Advisory Council
Four highly qualified ADR professionals have joined the Section’s Advisory Council this year, which brings the Council to a total of 14 members. They are: Ruth Franklin, Phoenix, Arizona; Bob Gross, Salt Lake City, Utah; Lisa Renee Pomerantz, Suffolk County, New York; and Ken Reed, Los Angeles, California. Please click on the “Section Leadership” tab on the left to see their pictures and read about their diverse backgrounds and experiences. They are already making significant contributions to our Section.
May 2011 Edition of the Commercial Section Newsletter
The current edition of our quarterly newsletter is now available online. In the featured article, “Use of a Mediator in Structuring and Sustaining Business Partnerships and Strategic Alliances,” Lisa Renee Pomerantz makes the case for the role of mediators to help parties focus on integrative and process issues, which are often neglected.
In her column, The Mediation Marketing Coach, Tammy Lenski discusses “The Top Three Business-Building Habits of Successful Mediators.” We want to express our great appreciation to Tammy for offering her insights in the last several editions of our Section Newsletters. You can reach Tammy by way of her website at www.Lenski.com/ConflictZen. Let her know you are an ACR and Commercial Section member if you do write.
Melvin A. Rubin poses the question, “To Write or Not to Write – That is the Question!” in his column The Mediation Ethics Coach. No, it is not Shakespeare, but it is all about who should write the mediated settlement agreement.
ACR 2011 Annual Conference
This year’s conference will be held October 12-15 in San Diego, California. Early bird online registration will start in early May. The Section will present its Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute (ACMI) on Wednesday and Thursday, October 12-13 during the conference. This year’s theme is “Beyond Settlement Broker: Enhancing Your Value as a Mediator.”
The Section is also sponsoring several 90-minute workshops this year on topics of interest to Commercial ADR professionals. More information about these programs will be available on this website during May. We will also post the full schedule of Section activities planned for the conference. Check back for updates.
Please Mark Your Calendar and Register Early to Join Us in San Diego, CA
Keith Seat’s Ethics Articles and News
Keith has added new material for 2011 dealing with the two important topics of Federal Mediation and Mediation Confidentiality, among others. The later involves cases in the California Supreme Court and in the US Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit.
Thanks, Keith, for helping us stay informed.
Legislative and Public Policy
Starting in May 2011, we will have a new feature on our website to discuss and track legislation and public debate on issues of particular significance to people in the field of Commercial Dispute Resolution --- practitioners, educators and researchers. The Commercial Section will have a role in an initiative launched earlier this year by the ACR Board of Directors. We will describe and expand coverage of this program in the coming months.
Call for Information: If you follow legislation and public policy issues in your State’s Legislature and would be interested in assisting with this project, please let us know. We will contact you to discuss the possibilities.
Administrative Committees Activities
Those of you who would like to participate in Section activities should review our Administrative Committees and their functions. When you find a Committee that you are interested in joining, please contact the appropriate Committee Chair(s) to find out more and volunteer.
Commercial Section Short Survey
Watch for a survey in your e-mail inbox from us in a few weeks and help us plan the topics you want to talk about and things you want to do. Your preferences are very important for our planning.
On behalf of the members of the Commercial Section Advisory Council,
Frances I. Mossman, JD, AICP
Commercial Section, Chair
E-mail: fmossmanmediate@earthlink.net
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