Professor Levenson is going to address innovative ways we can bring justice to those who need it the most. From her work with Loyola’s Project for the Innocence to her service on programs and commissions focused on community justice, Professor Levenson will discuss how alternatives, including mediation, provide a much-needed alternative to the adversarial system.
In the aftermath of natural disasters, communities face not only physical rebuilding but also complex emotional, legal, and economic challenges. This panel explores the growing role of mediation in disaster response and recovery. Tracey Frisch, Division Vice President of Mediation at the American Arbitration Association (AAA), will share insights from the AAA’s administration of disaster relief mediation programs and highlight AAA-ICDR Foundation grants supporting five Los Angeles-area community mediation centers following the recent LA area wildfires. Esteemed AAA mediators Lee Jay Berman and Brenda Radmacher will offer practical frameworks for mediating disaster-related cases and navigating post-disaster construction disputes. Joumana Silyan-Saba from the Los Angeles Civil Rights Department will provide a government perspective on mobilizing community resources and fostering resilience. Together, the panelists will examine how mediation fosters trust, accelerates resolution, and helps communities rebuild stronger.
To implement Business and Professions Code section 6173 (SB 940), the State Bar of California has created a public facing process to develop a comprehensive voluntary certification framework for alternative dispute resolution (ADR) firms, providers, and practitioners. Central to this effort is the ADR Certification Working Group (WG), a statewide group of volunteer practitioners who will make recommendations to the State Bar Board of Trustees that balance rigorous professional standards with creating an inclusive program and promotes public confidence and consumer protection in ADR services.
This workshop will update you on the development of the voluntary certification program and share insights from State Bar leadership and SCMA members of the Working Group.
Have you ever wondered how high stakes deals are made in the trenches of the Hollywood studios, where the sophisticated negotiators include top tier mega-agents, behind-the-scenes entertainment lawyers, and studio business & legal affairs executives who are guarding the gates? When the biggest egos are involved, the budgets are ballooning, the most brilliant creative artists are being wooed, and the battle for dominance is happening on a global scale, what are the secret techniques that can mean the difference between a smashing success or a deal that went off the tracks?
David Shraga, a high stakes mediator and Hollywood insider with over 20 years experience litigating cases and negotiating deals on behalf of talent and the studios, will share the skills he employs to close high pressure deals while preserving the critical relationships that define this unique ecosystem. Don’t miss out on these practical tools that will translate directly to your mediation practice to help you achieve breakthrough results.
This timely presentation explores mediation in view of the rapidly changing landscape of AI. Gain valuable insights into AI’s use in mediation for parties, counsel, and neutrals, and learn how to navigate the technological advancements in mediation while maintaining party confidentiality. Come away with practical tips for applying AI tools, including a demonstration on security settings and confidential use.
Probate disputes are rarely just about money — they are often about relationships, fairness, and family history. This interactive workshop will explore how mediation can address the deep emotional and financial complexities that arise in contested estates. Using the case study “Three Sisters and a Broken Trust”, participants will examine the dynamics of sibling conflict following the loss of a parent, where caregiving roles, perceived favoritism, and financial stakes collide.
Through small-group analysis of a written case study and guided debrief with experienced mediators, attendees will gain practical strategies for addressing distrust, balancing the legal duties of trustees with the emotional needs of beneficiaries, and preventing litigation costs from consuming estate assets. The session will highlight techniques for reframing issues to reduce division, ethical considerations unique to probate mediation, and approaches to preserving both family relationships and estate value.
The mediator’s legal obligations to participants with various disabilities under California and federal law. Ever had a participant who is deaf, blind, intellectually disabled, or speech-impaired? How about an unrepresented party who you suspect has a mental disability? You might be surprised as to your obligations as a “place of public accommodation” and “business establishment” under the ADA and Unruh Act, respectively. Join USC law professor and disability rights attorney Christopher Knauf and avoid your own ADA lawsuit!
When people search “mediation” on YouTube, what do they find? Often, videos that are 5 to 10 years old or worse, guided meditation. This is a wide-open space for mediators in every practice area to stand out, educate the public, and even influence how clients and attorneys choose their mediators.
In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to use YouTube to build credibility, attract clients, and raise the profile of mediation as a profession without expensive gear or endless editing. Claudia Brown Coulter will share how she grew her practice with simple, consistent long-form videos filmed right from her office.
You will discover:
Participants will leave with The Mediator’s YouTube Starter Kit, including AI prompts and video ideas to help you create your first videos with confidence.
In high conflict situations when emotions run high, the conflict perspectives become positional and polarizing. Attend this session by Dr. Singh to learn the top ten strategies from the field of cross-cultural psychology and dispute resolution to bridge the divide when things get contentious and impossible to heal especially with a focus on highly emotional conflicts. As an author of forthcoming book “Cross-Cultural Intelligence” (Fall 2025), Dr. Singh will discuss his extensive research and lessons from his dispute resolution practice that spans commercial, public-policy, employment, cross-border and religious to share strategies that are both theoretical and practical in nature. A storyteller and world traveler, Dr. Singh will make the session interactive in nature and will provide a handout of the materials at the session.
