James Melamed
Articles:On November 10, 2009, Mediate.com publishes the 300th issue of The Mediate.com Weekly. The Mediate.com Weekly began as a "monthly" in 1997 under the guidance of Founding Editor John Helie and over time became a bi-weekly and then weekly publication under the leadership of Editors John Ford and Jim Melamed. The Weekly offers Mediate.com's latest articles, news, blogs and resources and is available for Free. Over 15 years, more than 1,000 authors have contributed to The Mediate.com Weekly. How Mediate.com Benefits Mediators Mediate.com is in its 15th year and now averages over 13,500 daily visitors. In this article, Mediate.com's CEO summarizes how Mediate.com benefits mediators. Old Friends, the Internet and Mediation A short trip to the SF Bay Area this past weekend provided me with an enhanced understanding of how integrated electronic communication has become with the coordination of complex face-to-face events, be that a soccer game, hospital visitation or, perhaps, a difficult mediation. 3 Comments We Are All Online Mediators It is my suggestion only that we cease to romanticize face-to-face mediation communications to the exclusion of other mediation communications, as if other (electronic) communications are not just as valuable to the success of the mediation effort. 1 Comment How to Get the Most Out of Mediate.com for Free! Mediate.com offers a remarkable set of resources and opportunities. Here is how you can get the most out of Mediate.com without paying a dime. The Mediation Industry, Qualifications & the Mediate.com Certification Program It is challenging to have any short discussion on mediation qualifications, the mediation industry and new Mediate.com Certification Program, but I will try. 1 Comment A View of Mediation in the Future One topic that is not talked about much is: mediation in the future. Perhaps we assume that the future of mediation is self-defining or that "others" will make good choices. Will courts and agencies be the primary delivery system for mediation? It did not start that way. What about community programs? And what about technology? Mediation may be soon coming to a pocket or purse near you. 4 Comments Mediate.com Announces Certification Program After more than a year of development, Mediate.com is now offering a Mediator Certification Program for well trained and highly experienced mediators. Read all the details. The Mediation Industry: Our Time Has Come The current use and potential for mediation over the next years is massive. We help people get problems resolved and we do that faster, better and cheaper. The word is out. A silent revolution has taken place. Policy makers don’t even think twice now in favoring, in fact, relying upon mediation. Our culture has changed. We have changed. Our time has come. 4 Comments Obama, Miracle on the Hudson and a Society of Collaborative Excellence What are the odds of Barack Obama becoming our President? And what are the odds of 155 passengers surviving a plane crash into the Hudson River? This is not everyday stuff. It is what is possible. It is what is best. Does all this portend a new culture of collaborative excellence? 7 Comments Promote your professional practice in the largest worldwide ADR directory for free Mediate.com is now, for the first time, offering a Free Basic Membership. Basic Membership provides a free listing in our field-wide ADR professional directory. Mediate.com Premium Membership provides you with an elevated and enhanced directory listing, access to all Mediate.com video content, participation in the "stars" Qualifications Disclosure Program, eligibility for liability insurance, and more. All Members can now indicate organizational affiliations, and there is a new "Search by Organization" feature So, for example, you can now search by the ABA DR Section; ACR; ACCTM, AFCC, IAM and many other international, national, and state associations. The Evolution and Future of Mediation: Reconnecting with our Activist Roots The purpose of this article is to recount some of mediation’s past, consider its current state, and offer thoughts on development trends for the future, asking the question whether we are doing “justice” to the “mediation movement” we have created. 1 Comment InstantAssist Conflict Resolution for Business Networks and Franchises Mediate.com CEO James C. Melamed, J.D., today announced InstantAssist opportunities for business networks and franchises. InstantAssist is a new initiative of Mediate.com, the world’s leading mediation site since 1996. InstantAssist provides experienced mediators to callers who want immediate or scheduled negotiation and conflict consultation. Obama’s Message - Mediation’s Political Triumph Presidential candidate Barack Obama's main political message represents the absorption of the mediation movement's essential themes at the highest level of national and global politics. This is an accomplishment that should not go unnoticed and one that all mediators, whatever our political leanings, should take great pride in. Obama's candidacy is mediative consciousness' coming out party. Could it be that our work is finally paying off, not only in terms of "miracles in the mediation room," but also in terms of truly improving the way we as humans operate on planet earth? I think so. We are experiencing a popular paradigm shift right before our eyes and mediators and mediative thought are largely responsible. 7 Comments Jim Melamed Receives 2007 Haynes Award from ACR Jim Melamed, former AFM Executive Director and co-Founder of Mediate.com, received the 2007 John Haynes Award from the Association for Conflict Resolution at ACR's recent Phoenix Conference. Mediate.com Celebrates 200th Newsletter Mediate.com is thrilled to celebrate the 200th issue of The Mediate.com Newsletter. We hope that you agree that this is a notable accomplishment. This article summarizes our accomplishments and includes links to leading resources and some pretty amazing testimonials. Senior Mediators Release Statement Urging Effective Negotiation Approaches There comes a time when even mediators will speak up. Mediators are normally quiet, priding themselves on their impartiality and neutrality. Now, however, over 75 of the world's leading mediators have "had enough" and have signed a statement urging that community, national and global leaders engage effective negotiation and mediation approaches. Here is the text of the Mediators' Statement developed at the recent Senior Mediators Conference in Keystone, Colorado: Given that the world is confronted with real and perceived threats from several international arenas we, the undersigned, urge that citizens of our nations insist their elected and appointed government officials immediately engage in honest, direct and unconditional negotiations with all authorities and powers who can resolve these pending crises in ways that are equitable and practical for all concerned without sacrifice to national sovereignty or security. As citizens of the world and as professional negotiators and mediators we urge that proven conflict resolution processes be employed now.
For more information and to express your support, see www.concernedmediators.org
Wise Use of the Internet for Mediators Professionals need a Web site and email address today more than they need stationery and a business card. Hard to believe, but true. This article reviews how you should be thinking about your email and web development and how you can best serve clients online. 1 Comment Video: Mediating Divorce Agreement Jim Melamed's 40 hour divorce mediation class distilled down to 15 hours. DVD video, CD audio or online video streaming. Jim Melamed is CEO of Mediate.com and Former Executive Director of the Academy of Family Mediators Sample Video So, You Want to be a Mediator? I find myself regularly asked “what do I need to do to become a mediator?” While I do not pretend to have all of the answers, here are some suggestions for beginning your journey. 7 Comments Divorce Mediation and the Internet The Internet is changing the way divorce mediation is practiced and experienced. Learn how the Internet is becoming an ever more integral part of effective and affordable divorce mediation services and programs. Mediate.com Enters Eighth Year Mediate.com, founded by John Helie and Jim Melamed, began formal operations January 1, 1996. Mediate.com has continued to steadily grow with 2,253,881 documents viewed in 2002. The typical Mediate.com visitor spends nearly 12 minutes at the site. 20 Concepts & Recommendations for Utilizing the Internet This article reviews 20 concepts and recommendations to assist you to most capably utilize the Internet in support of your mediation practice. Featured Mediator Program Mediate.com is pleased to announce a new Featured Mediator Program for mediators with MediatorDirect listings. Frequently Asked Questions about Mediation and Negotiation Jim Melamed answers nine frequently asked questions about mediation and negotiation such as "What is mediation? and "What if I want to be a mediator?". Includes links to further resources. Email Management and Etiquette Email is mainstream. For many of us, email rivals the phone and personal meetings as primary means of delivering professional and business communications and services. Understanding email management capacities, options and best practices is in everyone's best interest. Inventing Options For Mutual Gain In having a successful conversation a most important factor is finding new options that will give a more satisfactory response to the interests of both you and the other person. 2 Comments How To Overcome Impasse As negotiations proceed, Parties sometimes reach an impasse -- often not due to overt conflict, but rather due to resistance to workable solutions or simply exhaustion of creativity. While the impasse might signal that the dispute is unresolvable in mediation, the mediator may believe that a workable agreement is still possible. This article describes some techniques to get negotiations moving. 2 Comments Integrating The Internet Into Your Mediation Practice Many, if not most, mediators are already using the Internet to some extent for business promotion and in their practices; use email to communicate with clients and colleagues; send "attached" files with email; know how to highlight text in a file, to change fonts and colors. A large number of mediators now have websites where they describe and promote their services. And many of our clients are even more advanced. Use of the Internet in your practice will soon shift from being an appealing augmentation to being an absolute necessity. 3 Comments Mediating on the Internet: Today and Tomorrow (part 2 of 2) Many, if not most, mediators are already using the Internet to some extent to assist in their mediation business promotion and practice. This paper examines Internet opportunities for mediators and mediation participants and suggests that there are unique qualities and opportunities for mediators on the Internet, including cost and convenience. Mediating on the Internet: Today and Tomorrow Many, if not most, mediators are already using the Internet to some extent to assist in their mediation business promotion and practice. This paper examines Internet opportunities for mediators and mediation participants and suggests that there are unique qualities and opportunities for mediators on the Internet, including cost and convenience. What is Mediation? Mediation is defined as a process of assisted negotiations and its key qualities are described. This is a good primer for those contemplating mediation. 16 Comments The WWW Main Street of the Future is Here Today The Internet and World Wide Web are becoming more important every day, including for mediators and other dispute resolution professionals. Professionals are discovering the web as a means of reaching out to clients and other professionals. In short time, we will be having confidential, ongoing, decision-making meetings on the web. Collaboration and Conflict Resolution In Education Since most of us grew up in a culture that treats negotiation and conflict resolution as forms of competition, we have much to learn about how concerned parents and school officials can better communicate and resolve conflict. Maximizing Mediation Maximization is a mediative philosophy and approach that seeks to assist participants to obtain best possible results, as opposed to barely sufficient solutions. Participants may be assisted to be at their personal best; to most capably problem-solve; and to obtain the greatest possible substantive satisfaction. Maximization is a mediative commitment to assisting all participants to be at their best. Maximization may be mediation at its best and is consistent with a mediator's duty to be impartial. The opportunity for maximization distinguishes mediation. 4 Comments Online Dispute Resolution in the U.S. Report to the ECODIR Montreal Meeting Oct. 3-4 2000 Building a Successful Mediation Practice Mediation is an art and a science. It is also a business for many practitioners and programs. Just how do you get a successful mediation practice going? Great tips for establishing a successful mediation practice. 6 Comments Sample Agreement To Mediate This sample mediation agreement can be used to review what topics you can expect to be covered. It can also be used as a template for mediators developing their practice materials. Sample Mediation Ground Rules Mediators often assist the parties develop guidelines/groundrules to ensure that the communication during the mediation is productive. Five Steps to Choosing a Qualified Mediator Because no easy formula can predict mediator competence, the consumer must do some groundwork before selecting a mediator.You can use the Consumer's Guide to Mediation provided by the published by the Alaska Judicial Council, to choose your mediator. Products: |
Jim Melamed co-founded Resourceful Internet Solutions (RIS) and Mediate.com in 1996. Before this, Jim founded The Mediation Center in Eugene, Oregon in 1983 and served as Executive Director of the national Academy of Family Mediators from 1987 to 1993.
Jim is past-Chair of the Oregon Dispute Resolution Commission and a member of the Oregon State Bar. Jim teaches Mediation at the Pepperdine University School of Law's Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution.
Jim was the first President and Executive Director of the Oregon Mediation Association (1985) and received the OMA's 2003 Award for Excellence.
Jim Received the Oregon State Bar Dispute Resolution Section's 2006 Sidney Lezak Award of Excellence and the 2007 John Haynes Distinguished Mediator Award from the Association for Conflict Resolution.
Jim's undergraduate degree is in in psychology, with honors, from Stanford University and his law degree is from the University of Oregon.
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