Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
The WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section promotes the informed use and best practices for all dispute resolution processes in Washington. Whether mediating, arbitrating or negotiating, every lawyer is an ADR professional. The section is home to many attorneys who are also members of other sections.
The WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section welcomes and encourages participation of all ADR professionals. You don’t have to be a lawyer or a member of WSBA. This is the community for all ADR professionals: mediators, arbitrators, and lawyers representing and advising their clients.
Annual Report │ Budget │ Bylaws | Year in Review │ Mediation Committee
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NW Collaborative Futures Conference Oct. 20–22
The Mediate BC, CoRe Conflict Resolution Society, The Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (CLEBC), Mediate.com, and WSBA ADR.
The conference will kick-off with a free Wednesday evening reception/mingle and special presentation from Yukon-born actor Tahmoh Penikett (son of former Yukon premier Tony Penikett and Lulla Sierra Johns of the White River First Nation) and close with a free Friday night mini film fest that includes a showing of “Older Than The Crown” and Q&A with Native American filmmaker, Derrick LaMere.
Presentations will build on the theme of deconstructing artificial borders in order to deepen understanding of conflict resolution. Both advocates and neutrals will share lessons from diverse practice areas and varied conflict resolution processes.
Session topics include:
- An examination of how jurisdictional borders have worsened the epidemic of extreme violence against Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people.
- COVID-19 false dichotomies
- How Trump’s wall on the border with Mexico connects with the Chinese Exclusion laws of the 1880s, and the “Keep America American” nativism of the 1920s
- The campaign against non-disclosure agreements in sexual harassment settlements
- How machine listening may improve A2J in British Columbia family law disputes
- Often overlooked preparation steps for difficult conversations
The conference will include two full days of dynamic and engaging speakers with 32+ hours of content. Session recordings will be available for two weeks. The conference is anticipated to be approved for approximately 15 hours of CLE credit in Washington, Oregon and California. Preceding the conference are two free evening events, a conflict resolution career panel on Tuesday, Oct. 19, and a presentation and online reception on Wednesday, Oct. 20.
The conference will be online. Register here!
What We Do
The WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section connects professionals with relevant ADR resources and information:
- The NW Collaborative Futures Conference — a cross-border future-focused conflict resolution conference that WSBA ADR has created in partnership with Mediate BC, CoRe Conflict Resolution Society, The Continuing Legal Education Society of British Columbia (CLEBC), and Mediate.com
- Educational presentations for both neutrals and advocates
- Unsurpassed networking opportunities with other ADR professionals
- Cost-effective CLE credits in ADR
WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section hosts an interactive, content-driven website www.wsba-adr.org — the online network of ADR professionals. It is the source for relevant, current dispute resolution information in Washington:
- Share information and engage in professional discussions and in the Forum
- Learn about conferences and seminars on the Events page
- Connect with colleagues in Groups focused on specific ADR subjects like Arbitration, Foreclosure Mediation or Land Use
- Create your own individual online profile to market services to potential clients, connect with colleagues and get referrals on the ADR Professional Directory
How We Do It
WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section has an Executive Committee and five standing committees:
Click on any of the committee group pages above to learn more, see how they can help you in your ADR practice and how you can get involved.
Executive Committee
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Position (term end) Chair: Melvyn Simburg (2022) Vice Chair: Vacant Secretary: Mary Juetten (2022) Treasurer: Courtland Shafer (2022) Immediate Past Chair: Joanna Roth (2022)
Board of Governors Liaison*: Alec Stephens (2021-2022) Young Lawyer Liaison: |
At-Large Members:
Lish Whitson
Carol Dianne Betts
Dee Knapp Legislation Committee C0-Chairs*: *Nonvoting member |
Meetings
The WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section Executive Committee conducts meetings on the third Friday of each month, beginning at noon and concluding by 1:30 p.m.
Executive Committee meetings are currently being conducted by teleconference only. You may attend virtually by calling 669-900-6833, and using access code 8824651313#. Please contact committee members for any other details on their upcoming meetings.
To learn more about the benefits of section membership, see the WSBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Section website, contact any member of the Executive Committee or contact membership@wsba-adr.org.
Join Our List Serve
The ADR Section list serve is a great way to connect with your fellow ADR professionals. Members on the list serve are now able to post directly to the list serve. In order to foster a welcoming and productive environment, the ADR Section Executive Committee has adopted general list serve guidelines and section-specific list serve guidelines. To join the section list serve and for general section questions, please send your email address and Bar number to sections@wsba.org.
