Resolution Systems Institute

Hey, Espanola and Santa Fe, NM!

Want to make $150 and help courts better serve the public?

RSI is studying courts and how they communicate. We are looking for people to test court communications for us. Participants will receive $150 Visa gift cards.

The user tests will be October 1 & 2 in person at a library in the Santa Fe/Espanola area. Each test will last 1.5 hours.

To learn more, scan the QR code below or contact Jasmine by calling or texting (850) 228-8830, or emailing [email protected].

RSI is extremely grateful to AAA-ICDR Foundation for its continuing support of our OPEN (ODR Party Engagement) Project! Learn more about all of the Foundation's impactful work in its newly released 2023 Annual Report! https://www.aaaicdrfoundation.org/news

Heading to the Self-Represented Litigation Network Conference in Salt Lake City next week? If so, be sure to bring your court documents and join RSI Director of Research Jennifer Shack's interactive workshop on “How to Fix the Information Gap and Increase Party Engagement with Court Mediation & ODR Programs.”

Attendees will learn about the barriers to participation in ODR, identified through RSI’s focus group research and user testing with participants with low literacy. Shack will propose solutions to address these barriers to participation. After the presentation, an interactive workshop will allow participants to apply the solutions provided to revise communications so that they are more easily understood by SRLs with low literacy. Attendees are encouraged to bring documents to revise.

The conference takes place September 18–20 at the S.J. Quinney College of Law in Salt Lake City. Learn more and get tickets at the link!

2024 Self-Represented Litigation Network Salt Lake City Conference Registration is OPEN! Early bird registration ends on 8/9/24.

Be sure to check out the newest edition of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution's Just Resolutions Newsletter! This month, it was produced by the Practice Management & Skills Building Committee, and it's filled with thoughtful discussion of ways to make mediation most effective.

August 2024 – ADR Practice Management & Skills Building Committee Welcome to the May 2024 Just Resolutions newsletter sponsored by the Early Dispute Resolution Committee. This issue spotlights the ABA’s House of Delegates unanimous adoption of Resolution 500 urging the increased use of informed and voluntary EDR.

Are you looking forward to the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation's 25th Anniversary Celebration as much as we are? IEJF has been a steadfast funder of RSI's work to improve access to justice through court ADR, and we are extremely grateful for their support.

We hope you'll join us in celebrating IEJF's incredible work!

Learn more and get tickets at

IEJF 25th Anniversary Campaign POWERING LEGAL AID, CHAMPIONING JUSTICE FOR ALL

Hey, Santa Fe!

Want to make $150 and help courts better serve the public?

RSI is studying courts and how they communicate. We are looking for people to test court communications for us. Participants will receive $150 Visa gift cards.

The user tests will be in person at the Santa Fe Public Library's main library (145 Washington Ave.) on October 1 & 2. Each test will last 1.5 hours.

To learn more, scan the QR code below or contact Jasmine by calling or texting (850) 228-8830, or emailing [email protected].

Resolution Systems Institute Resolution Systems Institute is a national nonprofit that works to strengthen access to justice by enhancing court alternative dispute resolution systems. RSI designs and administers ADR programs and has unrivaled expertise in ADR research and evaluation.

Catch up on the latest ADR and RSI news in the August edition of the Court ADR Connection newsletter! https://bit.ly/3yGiRdM

Community mediation centers recognize that parties can benefit from working with mediators from diverse backgrounds. Yet many have found it difficult to develop mediator rosters that reflect the communities they serve.

Center for Conflict Resolution Chicago is undertaking an innovative project to address this issue. And it has engaged RSI to develop a guide to support other community mediation centers in their efforts to increase equity in their mediator rosters.

Funding for this project has been generously provided by the AAA-ICDR Foundation.

Learn more in a new blog by RSI Researcher Stephen Sullivan:

https://bit.ly/3ApD0Fq

Hey, Baltimore!

Want to make $150 and help courts better serve the public?

RSI is studying courts and how they communicate. We are looking for people to test court communications for us. Participants will receive $150 Visa gift cards.

The user tests will be in person at Baltimore Central Library on August 27 and 28. Each test will last 1.5 hours.

To learn more, scan the QR code below or contact Jasmine by calling or texting (850) 228-8830, or emailing [email protected].

Want to present at the American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution 2025 Spring Conference in Chicago?

The Section is accepting program proposals through September 25. Check out the proposal guidelines at https://www.americanbar.org/groups/dispute_resolution/resources/program-proposals/

The National Center for State Courts has released the 2024 edition of Trends in State Courts, its annual, peer-reviewed publication — this year focusing on the role of state court leadership in the era of .

Check out the full publication at https://www.ncsc.org/publications-and-library/trends

Check out Trends 2024: Moving Courts and Communities Forward.

This edition, out today, showcases how lead and connect with the communities they serve. Dive into articles on , collection, action planning, and more. https://bit.ly/3YlPBDH

The July edition of RSI's Court ADR Connection newsletter features an article on the completion of the pilot phase of the Trust Project; an interview with RSI's new CEO, Heather Fogg; and more!

Check it out here: https://bit.ly/4dmKYxh

As promised, in RSI's latest blog post, new CEO Heather Fogg shares some details about her ADR journey in her own words.

Wondering what got her started in ADR? How she stays motivated? Her favorite books? Her first goal for RSI? Read the blog at

https://blog.aboutrsi.org/2024/welcome/what-do-car-break-ins-and-loud-parrots-have-to-do-with-adr-get-to-know-rsis-new-ceo/

Are you a mediator or part of a mediation organization?

RSI is seeking mediation organizations and/or individual mediators to partner with us for the next phase of our Trust Project.

Reach out to Director of Research Jennifer Shack ([email protected]) if you might be interested!

You can also read more about the project on our blog, at https://bit.ly/TrustProj

RSI is seeking mediators and mediation organizations for the next phase of our Trust Project!

Learn more in our new blog post:
https://blog.aboutrsi.org/2024/research/rsi-completes-pilot-phase-of-trust-project-seeks-mediator-partners-for-next-phase/

Throwback to the origins of RSI's Trust Project!

RSI recently ran across this fascinating 2021 video of Ava Abramowitz and Ken Webb discussing the potential for behavioral analysis to be applied to .

RSI's Trust Project, which Ava and Ken are integral to, is now exploring the effects of mediator behavior on party trust, using behavioral analysis! Watch the video at https://youtu.be/RvaUmFOoj7A

And stay tuned for an update on the Trust Project!

In Their Voices - Ava Abramowitz and Ken Webb Ava and Ken talk with Michael about the importance of applying behavioral analysis in order to understand what communication skills are likely most helpful a...

Want to get to know new RSI CEO Heather Fogg a little better?

Stay tuned for a Q&A with Heather in the July edition of RSI's Court ADR Connection newsletter, coming to your inbox next week!

Heather (right) is pictured here with Kendra Jobe, her co-presenter at the recent Center for Alternative Dispute Resolution Conference in Maryland.

Just because it's July doesn't mean it's too late to read RSI's June Court ADR Connection newsletter!

Catch up at https://mailchi.mp/aboutrsi.org/june2024rsicourtadrconnection

The theme of the Center for ADR's 2024 Annual Conference in Maryland this Thursday and Friday is "Reconnecting." If you're going, be sure to connect (or reconnect!) with new RSI CEO Heather Fogg, who is presenting at two workshops Thursday.

For the first, Heather joins Kendra Ogunshina for "Take Two Sessions and Call us Next Time: How Might our Prescriptions for Conflict Engagement Miss the Mark?"

Later Thursday, Heather joins James Boyle for "Ethical Strength Training: Reps and Sets for Everyday Mediator Ethics."

We're excited that Heather is out in the community sharing her conflict resolution expertise. If you see her, say congrats!

https://www.natlctr4adr.org/

RSI's Eviction Mediation Program Manager, Christina Wright, has been working with self-represented litigants in Kane County, IL, for over 3 years, and she has seen the challenges they face.

In "8 Tips for Assisting Self-Represented Parties," she shares what she's learned. Read it on RSI's blog:

https://blog.aboutrsi.org/2024/program-management/8-tips-for-assisting-self-represented-litigants/

She's here!!

RSI's staff and board are excited to welcome our new CEO, Heather Fogg, to the team this week!

Check out Heather's online bio to learn more about her background: https://www.aboutrsi.org/about/staff/heather-fogg

We hope you'll have a chance to meet her soon! We think you'll like her as much as we do.

RSI Executive Director Susan M. Yates is feeling a bit nostalgic as she prepares to move on after 27 years of leading the organization. Read "Farewell RSI: Gratefully Recalling Milestones on an Incredible Journey" on RSI's blog at https://bit.ly/SMYFarewell.

Pictured are Susan (right in photos) and RSI Director of Research Jennifer Shack, in RSI's early days and recently.

RSI Board members James Alfini and Oladeji M. Tiamiyu are among the authors of a new 600-page ADR textbook released this month.

“Mediation in an Evolving World: Theory and Practice" is designed for classroom use in law schools and in advanced ADR programs in other academic disciplines. It begins with a history of ADR and covers topics including negotiation theories and tactics, the mediation process, confidentiality, legal issues in mediation, careers in mediation, and more.

Pictured from left: Oladeji Tiamiyu, RSI Executive Director Susan M. Yates, and James Alfini

Find the book at https://cap-press.com/books/isbn/9781531029364/Mediation-in-an-Evolving-World

We're looking forward to RSI Director of Research Jennifer Shack's panel Thursday morning at the ODR Forum of the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution (NCTDR) in Prague, Czech Republic!

Shack and fellow panelists Luz-Helena Beltrán Gomez and NCTDR Director Leah Wing will discuss ODR and Marginalized Populations. The panel will focus on ODR and access to justice for under-resourced and marginalized populations, addressing topics of gender, poverty, race, rurality and self-represented litigants.

Learn more & see the agenda at

Online Dispute Resolution Conference | PRK Partners s.r.o. advokátní kancelář Poskytujeme špičkové profesionální právní poradenství ve středoevropském regionu prostřednictvím kanceláří ve třech městech - Praze, Ostravě a Bratislavě. Rozsáhlý tým právních poradců a daňových expertů zaručuje vysokou kvalitu a flexibilitu našich služeb.

Be sure to check out RSI's May newsletter for our interview with Texas A&M Prof. and RSI board member Nancy Welsh, news about recent ADR publications, an introduction to our new Eviction Mediation Program Assistant, and more.

https://mailchi.mp/aboutrsi.org/may2024rsicourtadrconnection

Don't miss RSI's recent Q&A with our new board member, Prof. Nancy Welsh! Prof. Welsh is a leading scholar and teacher of dispute resolution and procedural law. Check it out at
https://blog.aboutrsi.org/2024/welcome/new-board-member-nancy-welsh-discusses-fairness-self-determination-in-adr/

RSI is excited to announce the appointment of Heather Fogg as our next Chief Executive Officer! Heather’s hiring follows an exhaustive nationwide search, a rigorous application and interview process, and unanimous approval by RSI’s Board of Directors.

Heather will start on June 17.

RSI Executive Director Susan M. Yates will remain on staff through July 12 to help support a smooth leadership transition.

“The choice of Heather Fogg to take over the helm at RSI gives me great peace of mind,” Susan said. “Heather’s passion for conflict resolution, ADR experience and strategic vision are clear evidence of her commitment to improving access to justice by enhancing court-connected ADR.”

Read the full announcement at https://mailchi.mp/aboutrsi.org/rsiceoannouncement

In another review of the book Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice, Zena Zumeta writes on the Mediate.com blog:

“I was blown away by the amazingly broad array of topics and level of expertise of the authors … The topics have been chosen carefully to cover the field and to introduce new dispute resolution methodologies. Impressively, most of the chapters are outstanding in their depth and breadth.”

“This is a welcome and needed addition to our field of Family Mediation and Dispute Resolution.”

Congrats to the editors and writers, including RSI's own Jen Shack!

https://mediate.com/review-of-peter-salem-and-kelly-browe-olson-editors-family-dispute-resolution-process-and-practice-oxford-university-press-2024/?nowprocket=1

Review of Peter Salem and Kelly Browe Olson, Editors, Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice (2024) In 2004, Jay Folberg, Peter Salem and Ann Milne edited andpublished the book Divorce and Family Mediation: Models, Techniques andApplications (Guildford Press), filled with in-depth chapters on variousissues in divorce and family mediation. I have used that book as a muchappreciated text in my class...

Reviewers are finding Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice to be an incredible resource, and we’re excited that our own Jen Shack is among the book’s contributing authors!

Hilary Linton writes in the online legal magazine Slaw:
“(T)his book … is an essential guide for experienced practitioners in particular. … “The book will remind them why they were drawn to this work in the first place and rejuvenate their practices in unexpected ways.”

“This book is long overdue. Its contribution to the field cannot be overstated.”

Book Review : Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice (2024) - Slaw Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice, just published by Oxford University Press, is THE book that family dispute resolution (FDR) practitioners and educators have been waiting for. Edited by Peter Salem and Kelly Browe Olson, this book delivers the goods like no other— all 600+ pages of...

RSI will have the privilege next month of discussing our groundbreaking research on online dispute resolution with an international audience. RSI Director of Research Jennifer Shack will present via videoconference at the ODR Forum of the National Center for Technology and Dispute Resolution (NCTDR) in Prague, Czech Republic.

Billed as the most prestigious global conference on ODR, the June 5–6 forum brings together attorneys, designers, academics, experts, policymakers, innovators and investors from all over the world.

Shack and fellow panelists Luz-Helena Beltrán Gomez and NCTDR Director Leah Wing (who will also moderate) will hold a session at 10:30 am June 6 on ODR and Marginalized Populations. The panel will focus on ODR and access to justice for under-resourced and marginalized populations, addressing topics of gender, poverty, race, rurality and self-represented litigants.

Learn more and get tickets here: https://www.prkpartners.com/online-dispute-resolution-conference