Agenda - 2026 Advanced Mediation & Advocacy Skills Institute

AGENDA

Not all programs meet requirements for continuing legal education (CLE) accreditation. You will not receive CLE credit for participating in the programs labeled "Not for CLE."

All programs will be recorded unless otherwise noted below.

Breaking Impasse: When Mediation Stalls and What the Mediator Can Do

Drawing on David Hoffman’s new book, The Art of Impasse-Breaking in Mediation: A Handbook for Mediators, Lawyers, and Other Conflict Resolvers, this session examines why cases deadlock in mediation and the strategies that can be used to prevent impasse or break through it when it strikes.

Moderator: Cristina A. Blunt, Mediator & Arbitrator, Endeavor Mediation / Leon & Berg PA

Presenter: David Hoffman, Lecturer on Law, Harvard Law School, Boston Law Collaborative, LLC

Technology and Transformation in Family Mediation

Technology and artificial intelligence are reshaping how families prepare, communicate, and make decisions in a rapidly changing family mediation landscape. Panelists will explore emerging tools and the real-world applications, ethical considerations, and access-to-justice opportunities that come with them. You will gain practical insight into how technology can support your family mediation practice while preserving the human judgment and relationship skills essential to effective dispute resolution.

Moderator: Jacqueline Harvey, Clinical Fellow, Suffolk University Law School

Presenters:

John Dennis Casey, Director ODR Innovation Clinic, Suffolk University Law School
Gabrielle Hartley, Attorney/ Mediator/ Founder, Mediator Gabby (Better Parenting Plan)
Michael Gabriel Xavier, Attorney, Prince Lobel Tye LLP

Complex Commercial Litigation, Cross-Border Disputes, and Insolvency Mediation

As commercial disputes become more global and complex, mediation offers unique opportunities for resolving conflicts involving multiple jurisdictions, parallel proceedings, and competing interests. This program will explore strategies for mediating high-stakes commercial and insolvency-related disputes, including cross-border challenges, bankruptcy and restructuring considerations, stakeholder coordination, and techniques for achieving durable, business-focused resolutions.

Moderator: William D. Johnston, Professional Neutral, Delaware ADR, LLC

Presenters:

Leslie Berkoff, Partner, Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
John Loughnane, Partner, White and Williams LLP
Elizabeth Stong, US Bankruptcy Judge, US Bankruptcy Court

Why People Make Bad Decisions Under Pressure and What Mediators Can Do About It

High-pressure negotiations disrupt rational decision-making. This session examines the Prospect Theory and how stress hormones, the amygdala, and endowment effect neurologically impact settlement talks. Grounded in cognitive neuroscience, it gives practitioners a practical framework for diagnosing decision failure and intervening before impasse.

Moderator: Felicia Harris Hoss, Mediator, Arbitrator, Attorney, Harris Hoss Mediations & Arbitrations

Presenter: Douglas E. Noll, Author, Speaker, Visionary, Noll Associates

Reading the Room: Advocacy Perspectives on High-Stakes Mediation

Two experienced in-house lawyers turned mediators and trial lawyers on both sides of the bar talk candidly about high-stakes mediation advocacy. Panelists share what builds trust, what derails resolution, and what they wish opposing counsel and mediators understood before walking into the room. Designed for experienced neutrals and trial practitioners, this session trades theory for hard-won, real-world insight from the trenches.

Moderator: David R. Shraga, Mediator & Arbitrator, Signature Resolution

Presenters:

Michael Cronin, Director Surety Claims, Mediator, Markel Surety
Erica Harris, Partner, Susman Godfrey LLP
Sandra Liser, Partner/Member, Naman, Howell, Smith & Lee, PLLC

A Keynote Conversation with Former Attorney General Merrick Garland: Public Service and the Power of Mediation

Join former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for a conversation on public service, leadership, and the vital role mediation plays in strengthening institutions and resolving conflict. Drawing on his distinguished career, Judge Garland will share perspectives on the importance of trust, civil dialogue, and dispute resolution in advancing justice and serving the public.

Moderator: Douglas C Mintz, Attorney - Mediator/Arbitrator, Carmody Torrance Sandak & Hennessey

A View from the Institutions: Inside the World of Mediation Panels

Join leaders from the nation's premier ADR institutions for a candid, insider conversation about how mediation panels really work. The presenters will discuss the vital role their organizations play in the mediation landscape, the volume and nature of the caseloads they manage, and — perhaps most importantly for attendees — what it actually takes to be selected for and succeed on their respective panels.

Moderator: Jeffrey Zaino, Vice President, Veritext Legal Solutions

Presenters:

Todd Drucker, Chief Business Development Officer, Miles Mediation and Arbitration
Ryan Hamilton, Principal, Resolute Systems, LLC
Melissa Lelaind, Vice President, Operations, JAMS
Mia Levi, Vice President, CPR Dispute Resolution Services
Lise Prisarojn, Mediation Director, American Arbitration Association
Rekha Rangachari, Executive Director, New York International Arbitration Center (NYIAC)

Behind the EOB: Mediating Provider-Payor Disputes

Managed care disputes present a distinct mediation challenge. The parties often must continue working together long after the case resolves, and key decision-makers, like self-insured plans using payors as third-party administrators, may not even be in the room, shaping available remedies and who truly holds settlement authority. Learn practical tips, techniques, and strategies for navigating these disputes, and dig into whether managed care mediations are genuinely unique or just civil disputes with specialized vocabulary.

Moderator: Ed Oster, Mediator, Oster Mediation

Presenters:

Catherine L. Reagan, Associate Attorney, Trucker Huss, APC
Andrew H. Selesnick, Partner, Buchalter LLP

AI and Technology in Mediation: Tools and Best Practices

Explore how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, are transforming mediation preparation and practice. This panel will examine current technology platforms, practical applications for mediators and advocates, and the ethical considerations, risks, and challenges practitioners should understand when incorporating AI and other digital tools into their work.

Moderator: Jeffrey Zaino, Vice President, Veritext Legal Solutions

Presenters:

Leslie Berkoff, Partner, Moritt Hock & Hamroff LLP
Karen Layng, CEO, M.A.I.T. Co.
Mike Murray, VP of Product Strategy, Veritext
Joe Padjune, Director of AI Business Development, American Arbitration Association

What's Next for Mediator Ethics? Revisiting the Model Standards

The Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators have served as ethical guidelines for mediators since 1994, with revisions in 2005. Twenty years later, the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, AAA, and ACR have undertaken a comprehensive revision of the Standards to ensure they remain relevant and practical. Join members of the Joint Committee for an inside look at the process, key issues under consideration, and how current practice is informing the review. The session and subsequent facilitated discussions will offer participants the opportunity to share their perspectives.

Moderator: Ana M Sambold, Mediator – Arbitrator, Sambold Law & ADR Services

Presenters:

Kristen Blankley, Professor, University of Nebraska
Marya Cody Kolman, Manager Dispute Resolution Section, Supreme Court of Ohio
Tracey Frisch, Division Vice President, AAA-ICDR
Robyn Weinstein, Director, Cardozo Mediation Clinic, Cardozo Law School

Facilitated Group Discussions on the What’s Next for Mediator Ethics Plenary

Room 1: Competence, Quality of Process and Technology with Tracey Frisch, Division Vice President, AAA-ICDR

Room 2: Self Determination, Impartiality & Conflicts of Interests with Kristen Blankley, Professor, University of Nebraska

Room 3: Advertisement & Solicitation, Fees and other Charges with Robyn Weinstein, Director, Cardozo Mediation Clinic, Cardozo Law School

Room 4: Confidentiality & Advancement of Mediation practice Marya Cody Kolman, Manager Dispute Resolution Section, Supreme Court of Ohio

2026 Advanced Mediation & Advocacy Skills Institute

Virtual Meeting

Breaking Impasse: When Mediation Stalls and What the Mediator Can Do

Technology and Transformation in Family Mediation

Complex Commercial Litigation, Cross-Border Disputes, and Insolvency Mediation

Why People Make Bad Decisions Under Pressure and What Mediators Can Do About It

Reading the Room: Advocacy Perspectives on High-Stakes Mediation

Lawyer As Problem Solver Award Presentation

Social / Networking Time

A Keynote Conversation with Former Attorney General Merrick Garland: Public Service and the Power of Mediation

Break

A View from the Institutions: Inside the World of Mediation Panels

Break

Behind the EOB: Mediating Provider-Payor Disputes

Break

AI and Technology in Mediation: Tools and Best Practices

Break

Facilitated Group Discussions on the AI and Technology Plenary

Break

What's Next for Mediator Ethics? Revisiting the Model Standards

Break

Facilitated Group Discussions on the What’s Next for Mediator Ethics Plenary

Closing Remarks