318 Capricorn Avenue
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 658-5524
(510) 594-1728 Fax
johnford@mediate.com
www.mediate.com/johnford
Professional Experience:
John Ford and Associates
Owner
1996 to date
Provide mediation, training, and consulting services for organizations.
Mediate.com
Managing Editor
1999 to date
Responsible for mediation and conflict resolution content on information portal.
JFK University
Conflict Resolution Certificate Program
Director and Faculty Member
2002 to date
Present class on dynamics of conflict resolution to psychology students.
San Francisco State University
Human Resource Certificate Program
Faculty Member
2000 to date
Present classes on mediation and organizational conflict management to Human Resource professionals.
Lorentz and Bone
Attorneys, Notaries, and Conveyancers
Partner (March 1992 to December 1995)
January 1988-December 1995 (Namibia)
Negotiated collective bargaining contracts between management and labor. Drafted employment codes for organizations. Litigated in the Civil and Labor Courts. Mediated and Arbitrated employment and labor disputes.
Mediation Experience:
Mediated numerous workplace (wrongful termination, team and personality), employment discrimination (ADA, Race, Harassment, National Origin, Religion, Sex and Retaliation) and labor (wage and condition of employment) disputes.
Currently serve as mediator for the Contra Costa Superior Court, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, United States Postal Service (REDRESS), Conciliation Forums of Oakland, World Bank, Mediator Network and Online Resolution Inc.
Training Experience:
Presented numerous seminars and workshops on mediation, negotiation, conflict resolution and organizational conflict management to employees, managers, and HR professionals.
Currently serve as Direcotor of the Conflict Resolution Certificate Program at JFK University, and as a trainer for San Francisco State University, the Mediation Training Institute, and the Regional Training Institute.
Conflict Management System Design Experience:
Consulted with a variety of organizations about their conflict management systems. Drafted conflict resolution procedures, grievance procedures, harassment policies, conflict management flow charts, and disciplinary codes and procedures. Designed the Rules of the Namibian Labor Court, as a member of the Labor Court Rules Board.
Legal Experience:
Litigated in the Civil, Criminal and Labor Courts, Mediated Labor and Employment Disputes, Arbitrated wrongful termination cases, Negotiated collective bargaining contracts between management and labor, Drafted employment codes for organizations, Represented Ju/'hoansi (San) and other victims of human rights abuses, Represented spouses in divorce actions, Conducted fact finding investigations and wrote reports, Issued legal opinions on local law, Drafted first rules of Namibian Labor Court as Board member.
Education and Training:
Certificate in Training and Human Resource Development, (210 Hours)
University of California, Berkeley, April 1999 (with honors)
Transformative Mediation, (18 hours)
United States Postal System, April 1999
Workplace Training Certificate, (20 hours)
Mediation Training Institute International, December 1998
Mediation Certificate, (80 hours)
Conflict Research and Resource Institute, October 1998
Business Mediation Training, (40 hours)
University of California, Berkeley, October 1997
Mediator Certificate, (205 hours)
Humboldt State University, September 1996
LL.B., University of Cape Town, 1987 (Deans Merit List)
BA, University of Cape Town, 1984
Articles and Research:
"Measuring Conflict: Both The Hidden Costs and the Benefits of Conflict Management Interventions"
Mediation Information and Resource Center, August 2002
"How to be an Effective Advocate for Your Agency During Mediation"
Mediation Information and Resource Center, June 2002
"Process Choices for Workplace Conflict Management"
Mediation Information and Resource Center, May 2002
"Powerful Non Defensive Communication"
The NCMA Quarterly Newsletter, Spring 2002, Number 63.
"Dealing with Difficult Behavior"
Mediation Information and Resource Center, November 2001
"Cross Cultural Conflict Resolution in Teams"
Mediation Information and Resource Center, October 2001
"Confidentiality Issues in Workplace Mediation:
What Every HR Manager Should Know"
The NCMA Quarterly Newsletter, Fall 2001, Number 61.
"Training Conflict Resolution Skills in the Workplace"
Mediation Information and Resource Center, August 2001
"Emerging Cultural Norms For Electronic Communication"
The ADR Bulletin, Vol. 4 No. 2, July 2001 (Australia)
"Integrating the Internet into your Conflict Management System"
Journal of ADR in Employment, Vol 3, No 2 Summer 2001
”Workplace ADR: Facts and Figures from the Federal Sector”
The Conflict Resolution Resource Center, June 2000
”Workplace Conflict: Facts and Figures”
Mediation Information and Resource Center, January 2000
”The role of the investigation within a conflict management system”
Perspectives Newsletter, Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution,September 1999
”Bibliography of Organizational Conflict Management”
Mediation Training Institute, March 1999
”Defining Discrimination:
Employment discrimination law in Namibia and the USA”
September 1996 (unpublished)
”Act in Conformity with ILO Recommendations”
Namibia Brief, No. 17, September 1993
”The Labor Act: How it affects your business?”
Namibia Business Journal, Issue 1, Volume 3, January 1993
Community Service:
Association for Dispute Resolution of Northern California
Board of Directors, 2001 to date
Association For Conflict Resolution, Northern California Chapter
Board of Directors, 1999 to date
Association For Conflict Resolution
Co-editor of Organizational Conflict Management Section newsletter
’Perspectives’, 1998 to date (USA)
Conciliation Forums of Oakland
Volunteer Mediator, 1997 to date (USA)
Professional Affiliations:
Admitted Attorney in South Africa and Namibia
Member, Association for Conflict Resolution
Member, Northern California Human Resources Association
Member and Board Director, Association For Dispute Resolution of Northern California