The Red Velvet Lawyer

 Peace Be With Us All This article , Principles and Practices of Peace and Conflict Resolution in Islam , provides a very interesting synthesis of the role peace plays in the Muslim community.  It also discusses the role of conflict resolution in Muslim cultures, with a focus on Morocco. The author, Claudia Maffettone is a conflict resolution practitioner and a certified mediator. She trained the New York Peace Institute, Harvard Law School, the New York City Bar, Soliya and the International Institute for Restorative Practices. I have suggested that she present this synthesis at the next conference of the ABA Section on Dispute Resolution.  I think my colleagues would find it valuable.  

Back in the Middle with You:  Re-Joining my U.S. ADR Tribe In early April 2016, after a gap of several years, I finally joined an old tribe of ADR scholars, trainers, and practitioners at the annual conference, this year in New York, sponsored by the American Bar Association’s Section of Dispute Resolution . This ABA tribe claims my heart. These are great folks doing interesting and world-altering work. I love being among them. In my last post , I talked about several new tribes that reflect my transition to a new life in Doha, Qatar as a law professor. My new Arabian Gulf ADR tribes are important to my desire to scale-up my ADR practice and training. Yet, the anchor for my work has always been my old ABA tribe. I have tried to serve it in several ways: Member, Standing Committee on Ethical Guidance for Mediators (2006-2011). Co-Chair, Mediator Ethical Opinions Database Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on Ethical Guidance for Mediators ...

Several years ago, the University of Missouri-Colum bia School of Law held its annual training for new mediators.   I served as a role-play coach and evaluator.  Those of us who have been through that training call it the “baby” mediation training.  Its principle purpose, in my mind, is to show the participants how little they know, even after they complete the training, and the significant challenges a mediator faces.  Mediation is not for sissies. After three days of training, many of this year’s participants began to realize that mediation is hard work.   Several trainees realized that good mediation requires rough and tough litigators to move out of their comfort zones.   Good mediation requires a different set of skills from those used regularly by trial lawyers. Missouri Supreme Court Rule 17 requires new mediators to have at least sixteen hours of “appropriate” training.   These requirements are quite modest.   Virgin...