News & Archive

(February 4, 2005)

Challenges and Opportunities for the Future

Recently the ABA Section on Dispute Resolution and the Association for Conflict Resolution agreed to explore the development of a joint certification program. James McGuire will discuss the current process, some of the proposed certification efforts and their likely impact on the field. He will look at the potential benefits of voluntary mediator certification and why now may be an opportune time for developing a broad-based certification program.

James E. McGuire, Esq. is with the Boston office of JAMS. He has been a dispute resolution professional since 1989, has extensive experience in all aspects of ADR, and has served as a special master and neutral evaluator. He has been a lecturer at the Boston University School of Law, Harvard Law School's Program of Instruction for Lawyers, and the Northeastern University School of Law.

Following the DRF, John Fiske will present a Peervision case dealing with the mediator's challenge of neutrality, both actual and as perceived by the clients. The discussion will focus on the difficulty of maintaining neutrality, particularly when you think one of your clients is avaricious, deceitful, or a bully, or when you think the other client is gullible, masochistic or weak. Mr. Fiske is a partner at Healy, Fiske, Woodbury & Richmond, a Cambridge law firm concentrating in family law and mediation since 1979. John has mediated approximately 2000 divorces and separations and for three years has been encouraging clients to mediate post-marital agreements to help them stay married.

Please RSVP to Kim Wright, klwright@law.harvard.edu, or by fax to (617) 495-7818.

Time and Place
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Harvard Law School
Pound Hall, 2nd Floor, John Chipman Gray Room
(click for map)
DRF: 8:30-10:00am (Continental Breakfast at 8:00)
Peervision Case Conference: 10:15-11:30am