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Posts Tagged ‘Diane Levin’

Revisiting State Regulation of Mediators

January 29th, 2011 Mediation Comments Off on Revisiting State Regulation of Mediators

The Winter 2010-2011 edition of NE-ACR News, the newsletter of the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution (“NE-ACR”), contains a number of excellent articles concerning the sometimes controversial topic of mediator certification,  including an article I wrote entitled, “Should States Regulate the Mediation Profession?”  I argue that “proponents of state licensure [of mediators] should be careful what they wish for,” and explain why that is so.  The article appears on page one of the newsletter, which you can read here. 

The article expands upon and refines some of the arguments I made in a July 30, 2009 post entitled, Should the States Certify and Regulate Mediators?  It also argues that state licensure of mediators would likely target non-lawyer members of the profession, and points out three reasons why that would harm both the public and the profession. 

I would like to thank Louisa Williams, President-elect and Board Member of NE-ACR — and editor of NE-ACR News — whose skilled and thoughtful editorial comments and guidance were not only invaluable, but much appreciated.   I would also like to thank Diane Levin, a noted Massachusetts-based mediator and blogger, who was kind enough to recommend me to Louisa as a contributor to the Winter 2010-2011 issue.

Diane Levin’s Mediation Channel Reminds Us to Blog Responsibly

February 19th, 2010 ADR Social Media, Reinsurance Social Media 3 Comments »

Diane Levin’s blog, Mediation Channel recently posted “Blog responsibly:  a public service reminder for dispute resolution bloggers,”  in which she recommends that ADR bloggers to follow three important rules: 

1.  Create good content.

2.  Be social.

3.  Don’t plagiarize. 

This sage advice applies not only to ADR blogging, but to serious blogging in general.  And Diane’s Mediation Channel is a fine example of a blog that sticks to these important principles. 

Diane was also kind enough to mention the Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum — along with several other, excellent ADR blogs — as “examples of [blogs that] .  .  .  make the ADR blogosphere a great neighborhood to hang out in,” and which “consistently honor[]” her three principles of responsible blogging.   We were, of course, flattered by this mention, and thank Diane for her support of not only our blog, but of the many other great ADR blogs with whom we are honored to keep company.

Diane’s comments made me reflect on the question whether there is a cohesive reinsurance blogging community in place, and, if not, what we could do to help foster one.  There is unquestionably a very social and accomplished group of bloggers that cover ADR-related topics.  While there are a few blogs out there that regularly cover reinsurance-related matters, there are not that many, and they do not interact as much as one might think they would.  There are exceptions to this rule — we’ll make it a point to survey the “reinsurance blogosphere” in the near future  and report to readers on what is out there — but, let’s face it, compared to the ADR blogosphere, the reinsurance blogosphere is still pretty undeveloped.  

I think reinsurance bloggers could learn much from ADR bloggers.  In the coming weeks we’ll give some thought to how the reinsurance blogosphere might improve itself.  And we’ll draw on Diane Levin’s teachings, as well as those of other accomplished ADR bloggers.

Acknowledging Some Kind Mentions from Our Fellow Bloggers

December 27th, 2009 General 4 Comments »

We are pleased and flattered to have recently received some kind mentions from some accomplished bloggers.  The Forum covers some fairly arcane, specialized subjects, and we do not expect to draw as large a following as we might otherwise.  So we are always happy when our efforts are noticed and mentioned by other bloggers, and take this opportunity to say “thanks.”  

First, our friend Chris Sherliker, a U.K. solicitor and blogmaster of the Silverman Sherliker Blog (here),  mentioned us in his excellent Blawgreview #243 submission, entitled “Fighting Back:  A Festive Meditation for Lawyers.”  Drawing inspiration from the likes of Winston Churchill, Chris discussed the importance of lawyers fighting the good fight.  Chris singled out a number of bloggers as fighters, including the Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum:  “From the sublime to the subject of re-insurance and a particularly interesting blog by Philip J Loree Jr of Loree & Loree who is fighting back to ensure that the limits of arbitral power are kept within proper bounds. Fight on, brother.”  Thanks, Chris, and keep fighting the good fight on behalf of your clients!

Second, our friend Diane Levin, an accomplished mediator, veteran blogger and social media pro,  mentioned us in one of Mediation Channel’s recent Fallacious Arguments of the Month Posts, entitled “In Pursuit of the Red Herring.”  Diane characterized me as “a fierce defender of rational discourse and a highly insightful ADR blogger.”   Thanks Diane — you are far too kind!  You and your blog lead the fight for rational discourse here in the ADR world.  Fight on, sister! 

Third, our friend Tom Johansmeyer, professional writer and blogmaster of  the Reinsurance Blogger,  recently featured the Forum in his feature, “Four Reinsurance Blogs You Can’t Live Without.”    Tom said “The focus here is definitely on the legal side of the business, which means [the Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum is].  .  . packed with important, though somewhat dense, information (at least for a simple marketing guy like me). But, if you’re watching reinsurance litigation and dispute resolution, it’s an absolute must-read.”  Tom, thanks so much for giving us the thumbs up! 

Fourth, as we mentioned in a recent post (here),  our friend John DeGroote, the blogmaster of Settlement Perspectives , sought and published our comments in his excellent article “Insurance Coverage: 4 Rules and 10 Tips for Policyholders.”  John, thanks again for thinking of and mentioning us! 

Finally, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld’s excellent SCOTUSBlog — one of our favorite legal blogs and a go-to source of information on United States Supreme Court litigation — mentioned us in its December 24, 2009 Thursday Round-up feature written by Rhoades Scholar Adam Chandler:  “Finally, at the Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum, Philip J. Loree, Jr. offers a detailed analysis of the oral argument in Stolt-Nielsen S.A. v. AnimalFeeds International Corp., a class action arbitration dispute that was argued on December 9.”   Thanks, Adam!

Read the Mediation Channel’s 24 Alternative Dispute Resolution Blogs to Follow

September 6th, 2009 Commercial and Industry Arbitration and Mediation Group, General, Mediation 2 Comments »

Diane Levin, veteran mediator, ADR blogger, and founder of the Mediation Channel and ADRBlogs.com, recently published “Recommended reading: 24 Alternative Dispute Resolution Blogs to Follow,” in which she lists, categorizes and describes 24 ADR blogs that she recommends others follow.  Her list includes all of our favorite ADR blogs, and we intend to include on our blogroll any of the 24 blogs not already on it.  

We were flattered that Diane included the Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum on her list, and described it as a “niche blog” that is “distinguished by scholarly, sophisticated discussion and analysis of issues in reinsurance and commercial litigation and arbitration.”   We, like most bloggers (and certainly all of those on Diane’s list), work hard to produce material worthy of publication, and it always makes you  feel appreciated when your efforts are publicly acknowledged.  Thank you, Diane! 

By the way, any list of alternative dispute resolution blogs to follow would be incomplete without mention of Diane’s own blog, the Mediation Channel, and her catalogue of worldwide ADR blogs, ADRblogs.com.  Diane is a very talented writer, and as we have said before (here), her posts really make you think.  She’s been blogging for a number of years now, and she’s one of the best.  But don’t just take our word for it, read her posts! 

She is also an expert on social media, and I have learned much from her about it (and am still learning).  For example, I initially had some reservations about joining Twitter, which I shared with the LinkedIn Commercial and Industry Arbitration and Mediation Group in a discussion post.   Diane’s helpful and informative response convinced me to give it a try, which I did.  I have been on Twitter for just over a week now, and I couldn’t be more pleased with it.  People like Diane are what make social media work, and only a select few are in her league.

Should the States Certify and Regulate Mediators?

July 30th, 2009 Mediation, Reinsurance Mediation 4 Comments »

One of the reasons we enjoy reading the Mediation Channel so much is that Diane Levin’s posts are designed to make you think.  In her recent post, “To Certify or Not to Certify:  That is the Question as the Mediation Field Struggles with Professionalization,” she discussed a number of arguments for and against state licensing and regulation of mediators.  (A copy of the post is here.)   I found this post to be particularly thought provoking. 

From what I have heard (and I am not a mediator) state regulation of mediators is a controversial subject.  And it should be.  Continue Reading »

Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum and Four Other ADR Blogs Make Diane Levin’s “Top Five Tuesdays” List Of New ADR Blogs

July 19th, 2009 Commercial and Industry Arbitration and Mediation Group, General, Reinsurance Arbitration, Reinsurance Mediation Comments Off on Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum and Four Other ADR Blogs Make Diane Levin’s “Top Five Tuesdays” List Of New ADR Blogs

Each Tuesday the National Arbitration Forum Blog features a “Top Five Tuesdays” guest-blog submission.  The guest-blogger submits a “Top Five” list on some topic pertinent to ADR. 

On July 14, 2009 the NAF Blog posted a “Top-Five Tuesdays” submission by master-blogger Diane Levin, entitled “5 New ADR Blogs to Add to Your Reading List.”  (Available here.)  Diane is, among other things, the blog master of the excellent and immensely popular ADR blog, Mediation Channel, and “unofficial taxonomist of the ADR blogosphere” at her popular worldwide blog directory,  ADRBlogs.com.   Noting that she “track[s] and catalog[s] bloggers world-wide who write about ADR, negotiation, and conflict resolution,” Diane said:     

It gives me the ability to introduce new and worthy ADR blogs to readers – like the following five blogs. I hope you enjoy them: 

 

  1. Loree Reinsurance and Arbitration Law Forum provides discussion and insights on reinsurance litigation and arbitration and is published by New York-based boutique commercial and industry arbitration firm Loree & Loree. This blog demonstrates quality writing on newsworthy topics that distinguish the top ADR blog; a recent example is “The AAA Commercial Rules and the Pig in a Poke: Gilbert Street Developers, LLC v. La Quinta Homes, LLC“.
  2. Business Conflict Blog provides perspectives on managing the business disputes that companies around the globe face, a focus reflected in posts such as “Contract Drafting for Dispute Management“, aimed for the transactional lawyer seeking to protect the value of the deal. This blog is written by F. Peter Phillips, a commercial arbitrator and mediator based in New Jersey.
  3. Mediation Matters is published by California lawyer and mediator Steve Mehta, who has translated his experience litigating and mediating complex cases into engaging posts that share his reflections on ADR practice, including this one on his experiences going green to conserve energy at his office.
  4. Cross Collaborate serves as a learning resource for all those involved in shaping or influencing governmental decisions, offering commentary on leading issues and innovative practices. It is published by John Folk-Williams, a practitioner and writer in the field of public policy collaboration and interest-based negotiation. His thoughtfulness as a practitioner is evident in posts like “Power Differences, Consensus Building & Collaborative Networks“.
  5. Disputing: Conversations about Dispute Resolution is a dependable source for news, updates and commentary on the law pertaining to arbitration, with a special focus on Texas demonstrated by posts such as “Texas HB 2256 Makes Possible a New Mediation Procedure for ‘Balance Billing‘”.

We thank Diane for having included us not only in her blog directory, ADRBlogs.com, but also in “5 New ADR Blogs to Add to Your Reading List.”  We also thank Diane for including our friends Karl Bayer, Victoria VanBuren and Holly Hayes at Disputing, and for featuring the other three excellent blogs listed above.   

For the benefit of readers who may not know Diane, she is a mediator, dispute resolution trainer, negotiation coach, writer, and lawyer based in Marblehead, Massachusetts.  She has instructed people from around the world in the art of negotiation and mediation.  Since 1995 she has assisted clients in resolving tort, employment, business, estate, family, and real property disputes, and has served on numerous mediation panels, including the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (a/k/a “the EEOC”).  She has a passion for training and coaching and has taught thousands of people to resolve conflict, negotiate better, or become mediators – from Croatian judges to Fortune 500 executives.

Characterizing herself  — tongue in cheek — as “a geek at heart,” Diane also consults on web design and social media for professionals.  She writes about issues pertinent to ADR at the intersection of law, science and popular culture at Mediation Channel, which is regarded (deservedly so) as one of the world’s top ADR blogs.  She tracks and catalogues ADR blogs around the world at ADRblogs.com, where she has created a community for bloggers writing about alternative dispute resolution.  

Thanks again, Diane!