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Special Note:
Sidney I. Lezak, considered by many to be the “godfather” of mediation in Oregon, died on April 25, 2006 at the age of 81.
Sid was a decorated World War II aviator. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal. He was also this country's longest-serving U.S. attorney before dedicating his career to the advancement of mediation in the early 1980s. Remarkably, Sid served as U.S. attorney for Oregon under five presidents from 1961 to 1982. Highlights of Sid’s varied community activities included his service as President of the City Club of Portland (he resigned from the position in 1972 over the club's refusal to admit women as members), Trustee of the Foundation for Public Broadcasting and commissioner on the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission. He also served on the boards of the Nature Conservancy and Planned Parenthood. Critically for the growth of mediation, Sid was the first Chair of the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission and a fellow in the International Academy of Mediators. It is no coincidence that mediation gained acceptance in Oregon shortly after Sid stepped-down as US Attorney in 1982. Sid’s second career as the “Dean” of Oregon mediators was an extension of his earlier work settling conflicts as US Attorney, facilitating policy consensus and being trusted as a wise and caring professional. In 1987, Sid was appointed by Governor Neil Goldschmidt to chair the Oregon Dispute Resolution Advisory Council, which successfully prepared and guided legislation to create the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission. Sid’s vision guided the Council and helped shape the future of mediation in Oregon and beyond. He was the first chair of Dispute Resolution Committees of the Oregon State Bar and the Oregon Federal Bar Association. He was a main-stay of national ADR conferences. Sid was most recently involved in the mediation of priest sex abuse cases against the Archdiocese of Portland.The reverence felt for Sid by those in Oregon has spread throughout the country. Although many of us would like to think of Sid as our personal mentor, we know that our experience is matched by countless others who benefited from Sid’s guidance. Sid’s life, career and humanity is an inspiration to all who knew him. Sid led the way and showed us how to enjoy the journey. Click here for additional articles about Sid Lezak.
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