Our Section's annual conference is nearly upon us, and for the second time, the team has planned a blockbuster event that you can enjoy from anywhere. Jaya Sharma of the conference planning committee joined me to discuss why you can't miss this year's conference and what to expect.

The conference begins this Wednesday, April 14th and runs through Saturday, April 17th.

For more on the conference, please visit ambar.org/spring2021.

Registration closes on April 13th at 5 pm ET. You can reach Jaya at [email protected].

In this episode, Rekha Rangachari sits down with Elliot Herland (Vice Chair of the Section's Membership Committee) and Kanika (Niki) Singh (the Section’s Student Liaison) to discuss a new avenue for student and practitioner members to increase their engagement, connection, networking, and mentorship with stakeholders through the Section. They discuss the impact of COVID-19 and how Section leadership pivoted to expand initiatives and provide the return on investment to the expanding group of new student members. Through (remote and hybrid) campus visits, Spring Conference access, and competitions, to be announced in more detail shortly, students and young practitioners gain a direct window into careers in alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Tune in to learn more!

For more information on Student & Early Career Services visit https://abaforlawstudents.com/

View Elliot Harland’s bio https://www.herlandmediation.com/your-mediator

View Niki Singh’s bio https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikiatwork/

Register for the Dispute Resolution Spring Conference here https://www.americanbar.org/groups/dispute_resolution/events_cle/annual/

Chris Draper of Trokt (https://www.trokt.org/) discusses the Dispute Resolution Section's Technology Committee's Tech Pitch Series where innovators can present new technology directed to advancing the practice of ADR.

If you’re interested in pitching, fill out a form here https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd58DhpVtBSJmT_jMrSguzmtR1942lw5sg68x0FlYmpDpQ8sQ/viewform

With all the conflict we face and try to resolve, what if we stopped and reconsidered how we approach conflict in the first place? That's a question that's been on the mind of Rabbi/Dr. Daniel Roth for quite some time. He's the founder and creator of the Jewish Week of Constructive Conflict, which is taking place around the world on February 15-21, 2021. He is based in Israel and teaches at Bar-Ilan University and the Pardes Institute and is director of Mosaica, The Religious Peace Initiative. He spoke about his work and the origins of this unique conflict resolution commemoration.

For more information, visit https://www.9adar.org/

You can attend a live session observing the Week of Constructive Conflict Wednesday, February 17 at 1p Eastern on Zoom: visit https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85615358941?pwd=NUJJVTU4aDM1R1NqdFVGS0FPZ2JEQT09.

In honor of Black History Month, enjoy this re-release of the March 10th episode with community activist, John Thompson.

Community activist and candidate for the Minnesota House of Representatives, John Thompson, gives us a preview of his plenary presentation at the Dispute Resolution Spring Conference. Thompson will describe and demonstrate the training necessary to create a new relationship between communities of color and law enforcement. He will challenge conflict resolvers to look at our work through a different lens to identify the root problems and carve out the decay.

In this episode, Phyllis Morgan discusses her journey in mindfulness with Rekha Rangachari and how delegates can apply these tools in their own lives. Focused on building resilience at work, from myriad vantage points from her career in the law, Phyllis shares a novel scale of evaluation she developed — Mindful Management of Self in Conflict Scale (https://www.smartbizquiztribe.com/quiz/2187).

Phyllis also teases out how to create opportunities for one’s personal brand (including the mantra, “Be Courageous!”). Tune in to learn more. Contact Phyllis Morgan at [email protected] and view her bio at https://www.resilientatwork.com/about.

In this episode, guest host Marcie Dickson speaks with Linda Klein, past president of ABA and senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson. Klein, also a mediator and arbitrator, discusses a range of topics, including specific actions to address diversity and inclusion, the permanence of ODR, compulsory mediation, and what's next in dispute resolution.

Prof. Catherine Rogers, Professor of Law and Paul and Marjorie Price Faculty Scholar at Penn State Law and Professor of Ethics, Regulation & The Rule of Law, at Queen Mary, University of London discusses her legal tech startup, Arbitrator Intelligence, how COVID-19 has impacted arbitration, and how we can use those insights in the future of international dispute resolution.

Read more about Prof. Rogers' research here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=281268,

Find out more about Arbitrator Intelligence at: https://arbitratorintelligence.com/

Amy J. Schmitz, Elwood L. Thomas Missouri Endowed Professor of Law at the University of Missouri School of Law discusses her research into the efficacy of online dispute resolution processes and how those processes affect access to justice for participants.

Prof. Schmitz's research can be found on her SSRN page: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=522704

The ABA Section of Dispute Resolution in collaboration with the New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC) hosts this innovative podcast convening global thought leaders to discuss the state of gender diversity in international arbitration.

Topics include the impact of key initiatives and working groups (e.g. the recent ICCA Report of the Cross-Institutional Task Force on Gender Diversity in Arbitral Appointments and Proceedings, the Equal Representation in Arbitration (ERA) Pledge and ArbitralWomen), the role of local and regional perspectives on diversity, and access and advocacy for and on behalf of all stakeholders.

The session aired live on October 5 at 12:00 PM ET and is now available for on demand listening.

- ICCA Report of the Cross-Institutional Task Force on Gender Diversity in Arbitral Appointments and Proceedings (https://www.arbitration-icca.org/publications/ICCA_Report_N8.html),

- Equal Representation in Arbitration (ERA) Pledge (http://www.arbitrationpledge.com/)

-ArbitralWomen (https://www.arbitralwomen.org/)