What is an ombudsman? I’m not sure it matters, although Roy Baroff might disagree. What really matters is that Roy happens to be one, and he’s one of the foundation stones of dispute resolution in North Carolina. Roy is our “Peace Award” recipient in 2021, the 20th year of this prestigious acknowledgment.

First: Read about him in his own words. However, these words don’t do him justice. More on that later.

Second: How cool would it be to send Roy a note of congratulations and “thank you” for his contributions to our way of life? Very cool! Do it by clicking here: Click here to email Roy!

Third: Check out the ranks of other esteemed professionals that Roy has now officially joined by clicking here.

Fourth: Any words I have would be insufficient to describe Roy’s importance and impact, so permit me to steal some words from another mediation stalwart: Frank Laney.

“As those of you who have read our book, ‘Alternative Dispute Resolution in North Carolina – A New Civil Procedure,’ know, in 1985, the Bar Association published a report recommending that the NCBA undertake to implement and support this new thing called dispute resolution. The Bar Association decided this was a good project, but they need some staff to support the lawyer leaders. And to hire staff, they needed some grant money. So, in the summer of 1986, Allan Head hired an intern from UNC law school named Roy Baroff to get this dispute resolution project off the ground. One of his tasks was to write a grant to fund the hiring of a full-time staff member that fall to continue supporting the new Dispute Resolution Committee, whose work over time exploded into the court-based mediation we have in our state today, and the committee evolved into this section.

Roy was not just a random law student; he was already experienced in the ADR field. In 1982, as an undergraduate at UNC, he had been trained as a volunteer mediator by the Orange County Dispute Settlement Center.

Roy is a deep-dyed mediator and conflict resolver. He went to law school already knowing he wanted to be a peacemaker. He has spent his entire career working and building in that field. His list of experiences and accomplishments is varied and long. I cannot list all he has done, as we do not have time. I can just give a [sample] of what he has achieved – all in the field of mediation, dispute resolution and ombudsman. He has attended over 30 trainings and conferences. From 1991-2020, he taught 16 different classes at 7 different universities and law schools. Over that same time, he made 26 presentations not only all over North Carolina but all over the United States. He has spoken at 25 CLE programs and published over a dozen articles. In recent years, he has focused his attention on being an ombudsman, currently serving as Faculty and Staff Ombuds at NC State University. There, he has given over two dozen presentations and trainings on ombuds and conflict resolution.

One of his memorable contributions to mediation was some decades ago. A local bar association got a complaint from a local lawyer about a non-lawyer doing something with divorcing couples called mediation. The mediator, being found guilty without a trial of practicing law without a license, turned to the NCBA for help. Roy chaired the small working group that drafted a memo to the State Bar, explaining what mediation was, how it was not the practice of law, and why what this lady had done was not a violation of state law or bar rules. Roy’s memo persuaded the State Bar to drop the matter and also helped to begin informing those outside our little group as to what mediation was.

Along the way, he has been an active leader in our section. He has been section chair. But of particular significance, about 20 years ago, Roy had an idea that our section should recognize and honor those who served to lead and advance the dispute resolution field. The section agreed, and thus was born the Peace Award. So, here on the 20th anniversary of that award, it is with great pleasure that I, on behalf of the section, salute Roy and thank him for his decades of service and leadership, with the 2021 Peace Award.”

March 11, 2021/by DisputeResolution