ADR News & Announcements

On March 6, 2019, ADRIA held a panel discussion with five Alberta-based mediators to discuss their views on mediation and what the path to mediation success might look like for newcomers to the field.  On our website you will find an edited transcript of the 2-hour panel discussion.  Read the full transcript or select questions below.

Questions: How do you use ADR in your work? What was your journey to becoming an ADR practitioner? And what ADR opportunities are there in your organization or area of practice? What skills or qualities you think it takes to succeed either in your particular organization, in your area of practice, or just to succeed in general? What do you see in new mediators or ADR practitioners that you think will make them successful?  How do you balance being self-reflective and only taking on what you can handle and challenging yourself to be a little uncomfortable and learn? What do you notice is missing from new practitioners or from people that you interview? When you consider the people that are just coming out of their training, where are they in terms of handling real clients? Their ability to handle real clients? What recommendations do you have for people wanting to enter this field? What would you note as the criteria that leads you to say yes, this is why I love mediating? Do you ever get people who say things like, don't mediate me?  What's the one skill that you're still reaching for and trying to master that makes you uncomfortable?

He was a retired professor with an immaculate backyard.

Across the fence was a young junk collector. Or at least, that’s what the professor saw. Actually, you could better describe the younger one as a hustler, a street-smart guy making money as he could.

But the stage was set anyway: Spiteful words. Bylaw called. More than once. It was spiralling out of control.

“Eventually, they were at the point where they were shovelling snow into each other’s yards just to escalate,” said Peter Windel, the volunteer mediator the City of Edmonton called in to help. This was too much for a bylaw officer to handle.

I went for coffee with Windel recently, curious about his role in a society that prefers lawyers to mediators. He runs a struggling non-profit doing incredible work in local neighbourhoods.

With just a $50,000 grant last year, the Mediation and Restorative Justice Centre accepted more than 400 referrals from city staff and 311 operators. In 176 cases, they gave coaching or intensive mediation to change hearts and bring healing.

Read Full Article Here

The ADR Institute of Canada is calling for nominees for the Lionel J. McGowan Awards of Excellence in Dispute Resolution.
 
The awards are named in recognition and honour of Lionel J. McGowan, the first Executive Director of the Arbitrators’ Institute of Canada. The presentation of the McGowan Awards will take place during the ADRIC 2019 Conference in Victoria, British Columbia, November 20-22, 2019
 
There are two awards to bestow: one for outstanding regional contributions and one for outstanding national contributions.
 
Nominations will be accepted until Friday, August 2, 2019. You are encouraged to submit nominations at any time prior to this date.

Please send nominations in the form of a letter explaining why you feel your nominee should be recognized and highlighting the nominee’s specific contributions, to the McGowan Nomination Committee at the ADR Institute’s national office, by fax or email.

Fax: 416-901-4736
Email: admin@adric.ca

Have ideas for professional development training you’d like to see at ADRIA? 
 

We are looking for suggestions for upcoming one-day professional development training sessions targeting experienced mediators and/or arbitrators. Submit a brief proposal of no more than 300 words, including an explanation of the specifics of the training and why it would benefit ADR professionals. The person whose suggestion we use, will win the training for free! If more than one member submits the same idea then a draw will be held for the free training.
 
Submit your ideas to education@adralberta.com by June 24th.

By: Danielle and Andy Mayoras (Forbes) One of the best ways for families in the midst of an inheritance dispute -- or many other legal cases for that matter -- to settle their differences is with mediation. Read a fan fiction "deleted scene" from Game of Thrones where a new character - a mediator - joins the cast. Spoiler Alert: This "deleted scene" contains spoilers.

Read the Full Article

Divorce Magazine Canada is a free resource of local businesses that can help through the transitions of divorce or separation. On behalf of our mediators who work with families, ADRIA submitted an article as well as an advertisement. Our article, "Could we just talk? (for the sake of the kids)" discusses preserving the parent-child relationships. The issue is available now throughout Alberta at many convenient locations. 

Please plan to join us Thursday, June 13 from 5-8 pm for our Annual General Meeting. Wine and cheese will be served and door prizes will be available.

Tentative Schedule:

5:00 - 5:30 Networking Reception

5:30 - 6:30 AGM

6:30 - 7:00 Networking Reception

7:00 - 7:30 Keynote Speaker (TBA)

7:30 - 8:00 Networking Reception

 

Edmonton Location:

ADRIA Office

#225 Tower 1

3697 Mill Woods Road
 

Calgary Location:

Danish Canadian Club

727 - 11th Avenue S.W.

or join us online via ZOOM (details to follow)

 

More information and details will be posted on our website in the coming weeks.

April 13th, 2019 is Law Day in Alberta!

ADRIA will be present in Calgary & Edmonton, where we will be hosting Children's Mock Arbitrations and Mediations - between Batman & Robin no less.

Save the date, bring the kids, and consider helping out!

Full details on the Law Day Website
 

Volunteers still needed!

Batman & Robin - Be a Conflict Superhero, not a bully!
 
Volunteers are needed to support the CBA Law Day in both Calgary & Edmonton, Saturday April 13^th.  Our Children's Mock Arbitration & Mediation scenarios with the Dynamic Duo should be a smash.  We will need display booth attendants, guides and actors: arbitrators, mediators and costumed superheroes.  This is a fun day, and an opportunity to interact with the public.  Engagement and over-acting is strongly encouraged!  Contact paul@adralberta.com if you’re able to assist in either city. 

The energy industry shaped international arbitration and – thanks to resource nationalism, changes in the oil price, shifting geopolitics and febrile sanctions lists - remains one of its biggest users.  Alberta's economy is closely linked to the energy sector, and many ADRIA members working in the sector will be interested in this resource, available online.

The Guide to Energy Arbitrations, published by Global Arbitration Review, provides coherent and comprehensive coverage of the most common, most difficult, and most unusual issues faced by energy firms, from some of the world’s leading authorities. It is edited by J William Rowley QC, Doak Bishop and Gordon Kaiser.  The Third Edition is fully updated and has new content on upstream oil and gas disputes.

Read This Resource

This two-day Mediation Role-Play Intensive training is designed to help you get to the next level of skill integration.

This training involves one hour of skill review and three back-to-back role plays each day. Over the course of the two-days, each person will be skilled twice and unskilled up to four times. For each role-play the mediator will be given one-hour to role-play, time for reflection, and 30 minutes of feedback from your coach. Role-players will also be expected to provide feedback on each role-play. Coaches will not hold back; feedback will be robust and comprehensive, intended to elevate your skill integration.
 

WHO SHOULD TAKE THIS COURSE?

This is not a beginner mediation role-play group. Expect to be challenged.

This is designed for students who have completed mediation training, are committed to practicing their mediation skills, and have already worked to integrate their skills outside the classroom. 

Students must apply to take this training in order to ensure that the group comprises participants that are at a similar level of training and expertise.

Edmonton June 14 & 15, 2019 Apply Now

Calgary
June 14 & 15, 2019
Apply Now