By Sean P. Vitrano This year’s Dispute Resolution Section program brought together mediators and attorneys from across North Carolina for a full day of practical learning, fellowship, and dialogue. Early arrivals enjoyed a networking reception at Barcelona Wine Bar in downtown Raleigh hosted by the Section Council and Executive Committee. These events are wonderful opportunities […]
By Elizabeth Hambourger As a restorative justice facilitator, I am often asked how my work differs from mediation. Most people have some idea what mediation is, but restorative justice (“RJ”) is a less familiar term. RJ is a way of responding to harms that would typically be addressed in the court system, focusing on 1) […]
By Deborah Dilman Dear members of the NCBA Dispute Resolution Section and other members of NCBA: The new bar year has begun! Welcome to the 2025-2026 bar year of the NCBA. I come to you as a humble servant, being asked to sit as the chair of this year’s Dispute Resolution Section. I look forward […]
By Alan Parry At its 2025 Annual Meeting in Greensboro, the Dispute Resolution Section recognized three individuals for their significant contributions to the field of alternative dispute resolution. Two section members, Chief Justice Henry Frye and Frank Laney, as well as longtime Dispute Resolution Commission staff member Maureen Robinson, received well-deserved honors. Chief Justice Frye […]
By Frank Laney Yesterday I had the perfect mediation. This mediation went perfectly because of four factors. The parties and their representatives knew the relevant law, they knew the facts of their cases, they came motived to settle, and they came with flexibility. An added factor was that once the parties talked and became convinced […]
By M. Ann Anderson At the last quarterly Dispute Resolution Section Roundtable, held on August 20, 2024, mediators discussed an all-too-common issue: what happens when a party does not pay or delays the payment of mediation fees beyond what is reasonable? Unfortunately, delayed or nonpayment of the mediator has become a common issue, and mediators […]
By Denise Smith Cline In the world of technology, I am more curious than skilled. As a solo practitioner, mediator and arbitrator, my skill set can generously be described as “adaptive.” When I lost an entire federal court brief in a technological swamp the night before it was due and had to pull an all-nighter […]
By Amy Cox Gruendel and Sean Vitrano The Pro Bono Committee of the Dispute Resolution Section is one of the most active committees in the section. Its work includes: • The Pro Bono Partners (“PBP”) Initiative: A project that identifies organizations with ready-made, quality opportunities for section members to provide pro bono dispute resolution services. […]
By Peter D. Singh Jr. The Race & Equity Committee has taken strides to increase diversity in the alternative dispute resolution field. The Committee’s focus is (1) to identify projects and programs that provide members of the section with opportunities to increase equity and access in the ADR field and to draw upon the talents, […]
By Frank Laney Recently the Commission has been asked to look at certain aspects of waivers and immunity for mediators. In preliminary discussions with Tara, it occurred to us (Tara) that there is a hole in the best practice advice that the Commission as well as the trainers may have been giving over the years. […]