ABA 2025 Dispute Resolution Spring Conference

Affiliated Event

Join CPR at the ABA 2025 Dispute Resolution Section Spring Conference! 

Reaching New Heights: The Rising Tide of Dispute Resolution

The 2025 conference will actualize the future of dispute resolution with in-person, livestreamed, and on-demand programs. Collaborate in-person in Chicago or connect virtually from anywhere in the world. Professionals from across the field of dispute resolution will present programs on the newest developments in our field. 

Who should attend? 
Mediators, arbitrators, ombuds, judges, dispute resolution leaders, attorney advocates, young professionals, court administrators, neutral providers, ADR consumers, legal educators, or anyone who wants to learn more about ADR - all are welcome!

Five panels will feature speakers from CPR, including CPR President & CEO Serena Lee, CPR Dispute Resolution Director Natasha Richardson, and CPR Institute Vice President Ellen Waldman.

Dispute Prevention: Riding the Next Wave of Conflict Management
Friday, April 25, 2025, from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm

Albert Einstein wrote, “Intellectuals solve problems; geniuses prevent them.” Because business disputes continue to erode value, sophisticated commercial organizations have begun to shift their attention upstream to dispute prevention- a suite of mechanisms that can be adopted at the very beginning of a new business relationship to keep the parties aligned and nip conflict in the bud. Come learn from experts about these tried and proven processes.

Scott S. Partridge, Principal, Partridge LLC
James (Jim) Reiman, Principal, Reiman ADR
Ellen Waldman, Vice President of Advocacy and Educational Outreach, CPR Institute

Handling Businesses and Arbitration Disputes Abroad
Friday, April 25, 2025, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Join us to gain practical insights into managing businesses and resolving arbitration disputes on an international scale. Whether you are new to the field or an experienced professional, this session will delve into strategies to minimize risks, ensure compliance, and resolve international disputes when representing clients abroad with the support of leading arbitration institutions. Ideal for legal counsel and neutrals seeking to sharpen their global expertise in international arbitration.

Serena K. Lee, President & CEO, Int' Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR)
Elizabeth Carter
Ana Mercedes Jaimes, Counsel, International Legal Advisors
Carolina Lana, Director, International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR)

The Whats & Hows of Arbitrator Disclosures
Saturday, April 26, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm

The ABA and all major arbitral institutions have issued guidelines on the what information should be disclosed by arbitrators at the start of an arbitration, and the ongoing duty to provide supplemental disclosures for the duration of the matter. But there are no guidelines for arbitrators on HOW to best to do so. Join providers CPR DRS, AAA/ICDR and FINRA for a practical discussion on best practices for keeping records, disclosing information without violating confidentiality, etc.

Viren Mascarenhas, Partner, Milbank LLP
Natasha Richardson, Director, CPR Dispute Resolution
Kelly Turner, Associate General Counsel, American Arbitration Association, Inc.
Mara Weinstein, National Mediation Administrator, FINRA Dispute Resolution Services

Anti Anti-Bias Training? The Impact of Anti-DEI Legislation on Mediator Training
Saturday, April 26, 2024, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm [ONLINE!]

During this workshop the speakers will provide an overview of current anti-DEI legislation and assess how this spate of legislation will affect current mediator training on implicit bias. Specifically, this program will address :1) Which institutions offering anti-bias workshops for mediators are impacted by anti-DEI legislation? 2) What aspects of implicit bias curricula for mediators are affected by these prohibitions?
 
Ellen Waldman, Vice President of Advocacy and Educational Outreach,  CPR Institute
Robyn Weinstein, Director, Cardozo Mediation Clinic, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

*Elimination of Bias/Diversity and Inclusion CLE Credit*

Ray Corollary Initiative - Increasing Diversity in the Selection of ADR Neutrals
Saturday, April 26, 2024, from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm [ONLINE!]

The mission of the Ray Corollary Initiative (RCI) is to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion in the selection
of arbitrators, mediators, and other ADR neutrals. The JAMS Foundation and the AAA-ICDR Foundation
partnered to create a joint grant of $750,000 to support the RCI and all of its activities to address the lack of
diversity in the selection of the ADR profession. This session will provide an overview of the RCI’s mission,
activities, and efforts.
 
Sarah Miller Espinosa, Arbitrator, Mediator, Ombuds., SME Dispute Resolution, LLC
Homer La Rue, Professor, Howard University School of Law
David Allen Larson, Professor, Mitchell Hamline School of Law
Alan Symonette, Arbitrator, Symonette ADR Services, Inc.
Ellen Waldman, Vice President of Advocacy and Educational Outreach, CPR Institute

Additionally, the following programs all feature speakers from CPR’s Panel of Distinguished Neutrals:

For more information and to register, click: Here.