For Immediate Release
May 21, 2007
Contact:
Christi Fish
cfish@wilkinguge.com
(909) 625-2225 ext. 15
Susan Nauss Exon Speaks at National American Bar Association Annual Conference
Ontario, Calif., May 21, 2007 – University of La Verne College of Law professor Susan Nauss Exon and Missouri-Columbia School of Law’s John Lande recently teamed up with two district court mediation program administrators to present “Helping Mediation Program Administrators Grapple with Problems in Developing Quality Mediation Programs,” a morning session workshop at the National Conference on Court ADR (Alternate Dispute Resolution), part of the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section’s 9th annual conference. The conference was held on April 26-28 in Washington D.C.
To develop the interactive session, second-time presenter Exon drew upon her LL.M. thesis in ADR, titled “How Can a Mediator Be Both Impartial and Fair?: Why Ethical Standards of Conduct Create Chaos for Mediators.”
“I’m concerned,” said Professor Exon of ULV College of Law, “that mediation standards of conduct in many states include conflicting provisions that can actually hinder the quality of mediation services, hence the overall integrity of mediation programs. Some of the inconsistent provisions require mediators to maintain impartiality, balance party power struggles, promote informed decisions and obtain fair results.”
At the workshop, an estimated 65 attendees filled the session room to standing room capacity. Once Exon and Lande laid the foundation with their research, Court ADR administrators David Levin of the 2nd Judicial District Court in Albuquerque, New Mexico and Jonathan Rosenthal from the District Court of Maryland shared their thoughts on how their respective court-connected mediation programs were developed and discussed helpful tips to improve such programs. The panel members actively engaged the large group in a dynamic discussion about possible solutions to create quality court-connected mediation programs.
“The current state of court ADR is quite varied, especially with respect to court-connected mediation programs,” added Professor Susan Exon. “Many of the differences between court-connected mediation programs depend on the geographic region, whether and how mediation is embraced by attorneys and the judiciary, and the availability of economic resources.”
A ULV College of Law professor since 1999, Professor Exon provides her students with a wealth of legal knowledge in civil procedure, alternative dispute resolution, negotiation, mediation and professional responsibility, among other disciplines. She has received numerous awards for her work in education. In addition, she speaks frequently on ethical and ADR topics and has been a featured speaker for the PBS television show, Contemporary Legal Issues. Her current research includes the analysis of mediator styles and issues relating to mediation ethics and standards of conduct, such as those discussed at the ABA’s national conference.
Those seeking more information about Professor Exon’s presentation at the National Conference on Court ADR should send e-mail to exons@ulv.edu. For more information about the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section’s annual conference, including the National Conference on Court ADR, visit http://www.abanet.org/dch/committee.cfm?com=DR013200.
About the University of La Verne College of Law
Located in Ontario, Calif., University of La Verne College of Law serves over 3.8 million people as the only ABA-accredited law school in Inland Southern California and an additional 2.2 million people in San Gabriel Valley and Eastern Los Angeles County. For more information about the College of Law, please call (909) 460-2001 or visit the Web at http://law.ulv.edu.
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The University of La Verne College of Law was provisionally approved by the American Bar Association on February 13, 2006.
