ADR - Vancouver
Submitted by Section Chair, Philip J.Dougan
Summary of Meetings
Number of Meetings Held: 7
September 17, 2013
Guest Speakers: Carol Hickman, Georgia Lee Laing, and Craig Neville
Meeting Title/Topic: Family Law Arbitration
Synopsis: A review of arbitration in family law circumstances.
October 22, 2013
Guest Speaker: Colleen Cattell, Q.C., C. Med.
Meeting Title/Topic: How Not to Lose that Settlement on the Way to the Forum….The Role of Counsel in Mediation
Synopsis: Strategies for counsel to maximize the potential of mediation.
November 19, 2013
Guest Speakers: Shelina Neallani and Yuki Matsuno
Meeting Title/Topic: Negotiations with Adult Children and their Parents – Findings of the Child Support Eligibility Mediation Project
Synopsis: Review of findings of a study of family negotiations in mediated child support claims.
December 17, 2013
Guest Speaker: Lori Willams
Meeting Title/Topic: Moving From Positions to Interests: An Interactive Skills Refresher
Synopsis: Skills workshop on thinking through legal issues in terms of interests not legal positions.
January 21, 2014
Guest Speaker: Jamie Bleay, Access Law Group
Meeting Title/Topic: Strata Conflicts – Crying out for ADR
Synopsis: Review of use of ADR procedures in strata disputes; statutory and voluntary options.
March 18, 2014
Guest Speaker: John Sanderson Q.C., C.Arb, C.Med
Meeting Title/Topic: How Can First Nations, Industry and Government Create Mutually Beneficial and Lasting Agreements for Resource Development in BC? By Using Creative Process Design
Synopsis: Lessons from First Nation approaches to conflict that can apply in multiple contexts.
May 16, 2014
Guest Speakers: Wendy Lakusta and Kari Boyle
Meeting Title/Topic: High Anxiety? Angry Outburst? Approaches to Mental Health Challenges in Mediation
Synopsis: Using ADR techniques with highly emotional or irrational participants.
Comments and Observations of the Chair
It has been another fascinating year for the ADR - Vancouver Section. We note that the tools of ADR continue to find broader and deeper applications in many diverse areas of law. To that end, the topics covered in this past year have equally been diverse, perhaps challenging preconceived ideas of how ADR methods fit into a lawyer’s toolkit for resolving conflict.
Clearly, we are only scratching the surface as to where techniques and the mindset of an ADR practitioner may be applied. Our perception has been however, that in any legal context, an exposure to the principles and methods of ADR expands lawyers’ options and increases chances for good settlements. ADR really is becoming not just Alternative Dispute Resolution, but part of a panoply of techniques lawyers can use to find Appropriate Dispute Resolution, in any area of law.