Resolutions: A Podcast About Dispute Resolution And Prevention

Established under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Community Relations Service (CRS) has long served as a specialized conflict resolution agency within the U.S. Department of Justice. In this episode, former CRS Directors Becky Monroe and Grande Lum reflect on the agency’s origins, its role in supporting communities through tension and crisis, and the questions surrounding its current status. Join us to reflect on its mission, share pivotal moments from its history, and make the case for why it still matters.   This episode was published by the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution - the leading source of dispute resolution information and networking opportunities for professionals around the world. Not a member of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today!   Listen on Apple Podcasts, PodBean, and Spotify.

In this episode of Resolutions, AAA Vice President Aaron Gothelf interviews lawyer, mediator, and author Ronda Muir about the newly released Second Edition of her groundbreaking book, Beyond Smart: Lawyering with Emotional Intelligence. Together, they explore how emotional intelligence (EQ) offers a competitive advantage for legal professionals, from improving negotiation outcomes to strengthening law firm culture and client relationships. Muir shares practical tips on hiring for EQ, boosting your own emotional intelligence, and how these skills can enhance your mediation or arbitration practice. They also discuss the role law schools play in preparing emotionally intelligent attorneys for today’s evolving legal landscape. Get your copy of Beyond Smart: Lawyering with Emotional Intelligence, Second Edition. Take an additional 20% off when you use discount code BSL2D20 at checkout (discount available until 8/31/2025). Listen on Apple Podcasts, PodBean, and Spotify.

In this episode, Rekha Rangachari sits down with Jeffrey Benz (JAMS), Jill Pilgrim (Pilgrim & Associates Arbitration), and Dr. Katherine Simpson (Simpson ADR) to discuss a career in sports arbitration, the need for arbitration in sports and the arbitration process under the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and advantages and challenges of this exciting field on domestic and international stages.  Through candid examples from this esteemed speaker set — comprised of 2 former athletes and 1 fan-turned-coach — they explore the rights and responsibilities of athletes and ADR with a recent Olympic case example.   Read the Olympic case example text here.    Not a member of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today!

In this episode of Resolutions, American Arbitration Association Commercial Vice President Aaron Gothelf sits down with Clearbrief Founder & CEO Jackie Schafer to explore how alternative dispute resolution professionals are integrating AI into their practices. They dive into key questions shaping the future of ADR, including: How are attorneys, courts, and neutrals leveraging AI? Is AI safe to use in legal proceedings? What ethical guidelines should practitioners follow? What happens to the data inputted into AI systems? Could AI eventually replace human arbitrators? Can AI be a tool for advancing social justice? Join us for an insightful conversation on the evolving role of AI in dispute resolution and what it means for the future of the profession. Check out the AAA-ICDR blog to learn more about AI in dispute resolution. Not a member of the American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today! 

In this episode of Resolutions, American Arbitration Association Commercial Vice President, Aaron Gothelf interviews social media strategist, Stefanie Marrone on how ADR Professionals can use LinkedIn to increase their web presence and market their practices. Topics include: what should be in your LinkedIn profile? When and what to post? Who you should connect to? Social media etiquette, and a host of other subjects. Whether you’re a seasoned LinkedIn professional or just starting out with LinkedIn, there is something for everyone in this episode.  Follow Stefanie on LinkedIn! Not a member of the American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today! 

Rekha Rangachari interviews Bridget M. McCormack & Colin Rule on AAA-ICDR’s recent partnership with ODR.com and Mediate.com. They share their working relationship over the past years, their shared goal of democratizing ADR, and why we are at a critical juncture of AI development and knowledge building relating to meaningful access to justice.  Tune in to learn how lawyers can stay involved in the new solutions, products, and services critical to ADR’s evolution.  Not a member of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today! 

In this episode of Resolutions, American Arbitration Association Commercial Vice President, Aaron Gothelf interviews former co-chair of the ABA Mediation Committee and current ABA Dispute Resolution Section Counsel Member, Gabrielle Hartley on her 25 year career mediating mid to high conflict divorces, as well as her work to create accessible legal services and promote amicable resolutions in divorce proceedings.   Interested in registering for the upcoming Advanced Mediation & Advocacy Skills Institute? Register before Oct. 11: http://ambar.org/med2024    Not a member of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today: http://ambar.org/JoinDR 

In this episode of Resolutions, Aaron Gothelf interviews Tennessee State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Teresa Teeple to discuss a day in the life of a state long-term care ombudsman.   Topics include: What is a long-term care ombudsman? What types of disputes do they typically handle? The Older Americans Act and its’ impact on long-term care. The fear many long-term care residents have of retaliation and how ombudsmen deal with retaliation fears. Why being a long-term care ombudsman is one of the most rewarding careers a person can have.   Not a member of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today to gain access to dispute resolution resources and opportunities.

In this episode, Rekha Rangachari interviews Professor Amy Schmitz, the John Deaver Drinko-Baker & Hostetler Endowed Chair in Law at Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Amy is a prolific author, speaker, and podcast host of the popular “Arbitration Conversation,” translated into a recent publication of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution (2024).   Amy interviews more than 115 individuals in dispute resolution, parsing through these interviews to offer key insights and takeaways about dispute resolution design, online arbitration (OArb), and the importance of intentionality, adaptability and problem solving in changing times. The Arbitration Conversation is available for purchase through the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution here: https://www.americanbar.org/products/inv/book/437949810/   Live interviews from The Arbitration Conversation are available here: https://arbitrate.com/the-arbitration-conversation/   Not a member of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today to gain access to di

Listen to our latest podcast, “AI and The Intersection of ADR,” with American Arbitration Association Vice President of Innovation Linda Beyea and AAA Commercial Vice President Aaron Gothelf. They explore AI’s role in dispute resolution, covering topics like the benefits and challenges of AI in ADR, useful AI tools, data protection, ethical considerations, and whether AI could replace human neutrals. Learn about resources and training for incorporating AI into ADR and its potential to make dispute resolution more equitable.

Listen to our latest podcast, “ADR in the Aftermath of the Baltimore Bridge Collapse” featuring LeRoy Lambert, President of the Society of Maritime Arbitrators and American Arbitration Association Commercial Vice President, Aaron Gothelf, as they discuss the role ADR plays in resolving maritime accidents. Episode Highlights: Arbitration in Maritime Disputes: Understand how arbitration is used in maritime law, focusing on its process, benefits, and when it's most likely to be employed. The Role of Mediation: Discuss the effectiveness of mediation in reaching global settlements in shipping accidents, including its advantages for all parties involved. Specialized Arbitral Institutions: Highlight institutions that specialize in maritime disputes, their role, and how they facilitate the resolution of complex cases. The RMS Titanic Statute of 1851 and ADR: Explore how the RMS Titanic Statute of 1851 influences the resolution of maritime disputes and its impact on ADR processes. First Party vs. Third Party C

In this episode, Caroline Stauffer chats with Donna Douglass Williams — Head of Ombuds at Pinterest — about the benefits of investing in an ombuds in the tech industry. Ready to learn more about this dynamic profession? Ombuds Day is Oct. 12 and to celebrate, we’ll be hosting a complimentary event for all! This year’s signature event, “A Conversation with Thomas Zgambo” offers an opportunity to increase awareness and understanding of the ombuds profession, highlight the value of ombuds, and encourage greater use of ombuds programs. We are honored to host Dr. Zgambo and learn from the diversity of roles he has served as an Ombuds. Register for this free event today! Not a member of the American Bar Association: Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today!   

Rekha Rangachari interviews Mediator & Founder of Peacemaker, Brian K. Epps In this episode, Brian drills down on the benefits, and misunderstandings, surrounding risk analysis as a critical tool for attorneys and mediators. Peacemaker offers a solution to the “math is hard” axiom, mapping litigant responses to simple questions — ultimately displayed in a simple table rather than a confusing decision tree matrix. Brian demonstrates through case examples how to incorporate risk analysis into mediation, to find a pathway between gut instinct-approximations and sound approaches to valuation. Episode Resources: ABA Section of Dispute Resolution members: To qualify for the three-month trial period, email support@peacemaker.legal The Role of Risk Analysis in Dispute & Litigation Management The One Minute Manager Prepares for Mediation: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Negotiation Preparation Not a member of the American Bar Association: Section of Dispute Resolution? Join today!

In this episode, host Caroline Stauffer chats with Genesis Fisher & Jeff Kichaven, who give advice on how to start your own mediation practice.   Not a member of the American Bar Association: Section of Dispute Resolution? Become one here.

In this second episode of a multi-part series, Alex Green IV has a conversation with Catherine Connor and Katherine Miller, who are both experienced mediation trainers with the Center for Understanding in Conflict, about the mechanics and the philosophy of the Center’s different approach to and style of mediation.  We hope that our listeners can understand the uniqueness and maybe even consider the potential utility of the Center’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) model such that the Center’s mediation strategies and techniques may be useful to adopt and explore in other, more “traditional” mediation settings.

Two young ADR professionals, a mediator and arbitrator, both from Brazil, share their challenges and views of the profession and why/how they chose the ADR path.

American Arbitration Association (AAA) Commercial Vice President, Aaron Gothelf sits down with Bridget McCormack to discuss her transition from Chief Justice of The Michigan Supreme Court to CEO of AAA.    Topics include: Why she was interested in taking on the role? How her experience as an academic and on the bench influenced her leadership style? What sets AAA apart from other ADR providers? How can arbitration improve its’ public image as various states attempt to pass laws banning or restricting consumer and employment arbitration? Is artificial intelligence the future of ADR and could it replace arbitrators? Her overall vision for AAA’s future.

In this episode, host Juliana Rigato-Piekarski is joined by ADR professionals Miss-Ashley Kendrick and Sunnita Blount, Esq. for a thought-provoking conversation about what “belonging” means, its importance for neutrals, its impact on the ADR practice, and how to achieve it. 

In this episode, host Alex Green IV has a conversation with James Dykeman and Catherine Connor, a conflict resolution trainer and a marketer/public relations specialist, both of whom work for the Center for Understanding in Conflict.   This conversation not only offers information about the founding and the history of the organization, but also an overview of the unique model that the Center for Understanding in Conflict uses to train mediators.   Interested in learning more about dispute resolution? Join the American Bar Association and the Section of Dispute Resolution!

In this episode, Larry Schooler sits down with American Bar Association President Deborah Enix Ross and Terry Amsler, School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University.   They discuss the ABA Cornerstones of Democracy: Civics, Civility and Collaboration Commission. This initiative encourages the legal profession to lead the way in promoting civics, civility, and collaboration to restore confidence in our democratic institute and the judicial system, and to protect the rule of law.