WELCOME TO ACR UPDATE—the monthly e-newsletter sharing important conflict resolution news and organizational updates with ACR members. Your feedback is welcome!

To view this issue online, go to: http://www.ACRnet.org/publications/acrupdate.htm

OVERVIEW OF ARTICLES
June 1, 2006

1. ACR Solicits Nominations for its 2006-2007 Board of Directors
2. 2006 Annual Conference: Exhibit Space, Hotel Rate, and Philadelphia Sights
3. Upcoming Section Conferences: Environment and Public Policy and Family
4. Call for Article Proposals: ACResolution Fall 2006 Issue
5. Membership Update: Teleseminar on Marketing, Call for Member News
6. Take Advantage of Upcoming Section Teleseminars
7. Chapters Updates and Los Angeles Chapter Social Event
8. Quotations
9. Message from our Sponsor: Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

ACR Environment and Public Policy Section Midyear Conference June 28–30, 2006

The Environment and Public Policy (EPP) Section is gearing up for an enlightening and enjoyable three-day conference at MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 28 - 30, 2006. Chaired by Professor Lawrence Susskind, Director of the MIT-Harvard Public Disputes Program, and Harry Manasewich, President of Human Factor Dispute Resolutions, “Deliberative Democracy: New Directions in Public Policy Dispute Resolution” will offer participants the opportunity to network with each other while learning from top theorists and practitioners in Public Policy Dispute Resolution and Deliberative Democracy (broadly defined as democratic civic engagement).

Keynote addresses and workshops will focus on the intersection of theory and practice in resolving public disputes, the role of ADR practitioners in resolving intractable public policy disputes around social and moral issues such as abortion and race issues in rebuilding the Gulf Coast. The conference will also look at public dispute resolution as a business, leveraging data gathered from surveys of the top dispute resolution individuals and firms, and include a panel of professionals who work to resolve conflicts outside the United States.

For more information, please contact Anne Mansfield, 802-831-1338, or visit the EPP Section website. 

ACR Family Section Conference, July 13 - 16, 2006 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts

The ACR Family Section Conference, “Making Waves – Breaking Barriers,” will be held July 13 - 16, 2006 at the Sea Crest Oceanfront Resort and Conference Center. The conference site is in beautiful Old Silver Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, scene of the AFM conference in 1997.  A limited number of rooms have been set aside until June 13 for conference participants at the rate of $190 for Thursday night and $220 for Friday and Saturday nights, plus tax.  For reservations, call 800-225-3110 before June 13, 2006, and request the group rate for “Association for Conflict Resolution.” For information and directions to the resort, please visit www.seacrest-resort.com.  

Registration is open. The pre-conference brochure and registration form may be downloaded at: http://ACRnet.org/sections/family_section_conference_2006.htm.

The conference will feature (1) three pre-conference workshops on Thursday afternoon; (2) an opening plenary and reception Thursday evening featuring David Hall, Provost and Senior Vice-President for Academic Affairs at Northeastern University Boston and author of the best selling book The Spiritual Revitalization of the Legal Profession: A Search for Sacred Rivers; (3) 54 workshops Friday morning through Sunday morning focusing on every aspect of family mediation; and (4) a closing brunch and plenary featuring highly experienced mediators, each with a different style of mediation, working with very high conflict couples. Download the pre-conference brochure and registration form here: http://ACRnet.org/sections/family_section_conference_2006.htm.

Association for Conflict Resolution Presents a 3-Part Teleseminar Series: “Marketing Your ADR Practice: How to Make Conflict Resolution Your Day Job”

ACR is proud to present a three-part teleseminar series, “Marketing Your ADR Practice: How to Make Conflict Resolution Your Day Job.” Taking place from June-August 2006, the series will feature authors from the spring 2006 issue of ACResolution. Each seminar will provide insights, tips and ideas to help you learn how to effectively grow your client base. These teleseminars are provided free of charge to all ACR members.

The schedule for the teleseminars is:

June 15, 1:00 PM EDT. Presented by Forrest Mosten, author of “The Path of the Peacemaker” and Diana Mercer, author of “Making Marketing Authentic.”

July 7, 2:00 PM EDT. Presented by Bruce Blitman, author of “Ten Tips to Increase Your Edge in a Competitive Marketplace.”

August 9, 1:00 PM EDT. Presented by V. Michelle Obradovic, author of “Guided by Questions.”

Stay tuned for more details, including seminar synopses and information on how to RSVP for each session. If you have any questions, please contact Andy Levin at (202) 464-9700 ext. 211, or by email at alevin@ACRnet.org .

Call for Member News

We’re proud of our members and their achievements. We’re also proud of our growing field and want to keep you aware of the latest conflict resolution news around the world.

•     Have you been in the news lately? We want to celebrate your successes! Share your announcements with the ACR community and the world at large.

 •     Seen any news on Conflict Resolution and Society? Send us news stories, new research or current events that highlight the significance of the field in our world today.

•     Want to share your “Conflict Resolution Success Stories?” Whether you are a practitioner, a consumer, a student, a teacher or just a concerned individual, share your success story with us. (Please note that we will not share your name on our website if you do not so desire.)

Visit ACR News Online to see past stories and to submit your news updates. ACR is also seeking member updates for the “Member Milestones” department of ACResolution magazine. Submissions may be sent via email to Publications Manager Emily Welty            (ewelty@ACRnet.org ).

We want to hear from you!

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June 2006 Section Teleseminars: Health Care and Spirituality Sections

Health Care Section Teleseminar Forum: June 7, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. EDT

ACR’s Health Care Section is pleased to announce the first Healthcare Teleseminar Forum featuring leaders in the field. The first in a series of teleseminars will be held on Thursday, June 7, 2006 at 3:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. PDT.

Chris Stern Hyman, founder of the Medical Mediation Group LLC, New York will discuss a pilot program for mediating malpractice lawsuits filed against health care facilities operated by the City of New York. Following Ms. Hyman’s presentation, there will open dialogue with participants. To participate, please send an email to healthcare06teleseminar@ACRnet.org. You will receive an auto reply email with the confirmation details in the body of the email. If you do not receive your confirmation, please contact Anne-Marie Burton, ACR Sections Manager at aburton at ACRnet.org.

Spirituality Section Teleseminar: June 19, 2006

RESCHEDULED! Kenneth Cloke: “Why Every Conflict Breaks Your Heart: Conflict as a Spiritual Crisis” on June 19, 2006, 3:00 p.m. EDT.

To participate, please send an email to Conflict@ACRnet.org. You will receive an auto reply email with the confirmation details in the body of the email. If you do not receive your confirmation, please contact Anne-Marie Burton, ACR Sections Manager at aburton at ACRnet.org.

Interested in participating in a teleconference? Send an email to sections at ACRnet dot org to receive dial-in instructions. Please note: most Section teleconferences are a Section member benefit. To join a Section, log in to ACR’s Online Member Center, click on “My Account History,” then “Add Sections,” and select the Sections you want to add.

ACR Chapter Leader Monthly Calls Update

ACR Chapter Leaders have been participating in monthly conference calls where valuable ideas have been exchanged.  To date, we have discussed:

• Reaching a large geographical area
• Involving students in Chapters
• Increasing Chapter visibility at the Annual Conference
• Improving collaboration with Sections
• Hosting a film festival
• Successfully increasing the number of members using ACR member geographical lists

Interested Chapter leaders can join the calls, which are held the 1st Thursday of every month 1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT.  Please contact Ashley Parker, Membership and Chapters Associate, for the call-in number (phone: 202-464-9700 ext. 245; email: aparker@ACRnet.org ). Topic suggestions are welcome and should be sent to ACR’s Chapters Director Tara Fishler at tara@tarafishler.com .

ACR Chapter Advisory Council Update

The ACR Chapter Advisory Council (CAC) meets every six weeks to discuss Chapter initiatives.  One of the great things the CAC members are doing is serving as liaisons for prospective Chapters.  People in 17 states and several countries have expressed interest in potentially becoming Chapters.  The CAC is helping to foster those relationships.  The CAC is also working on clarifying categories for International, Affiliates and Associate Memberships.

Other CAC initiatives include:

• Improve visibility of Chapters at ACR’s 2006 Annual Conference
• Collaborate more with Sections
• Revise Model Chapter Bylaws
• MMM – Mutual Membership Marketing – Clarify multi-year plan for acceptance by board and Chapters

Join an ACR Chapter!

There are 20 ACR Chapters! Get more information at http://www.ACRnet.org/chapters/.

Check out the ACR Chapters’ discussion forum! http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ACR_Chapters

Los Angeles Chapter Meeting and Social Event: Friday, June 2, 2006

ACR’s Los Angeles Chapter (ACR-LA) will hold its second meeting of the year, combined with its first social event for members and their guests, a “Happy Hour” gala, on Friday, June 2, 2006. The purpose of this event is for current and new members to share their special areas of interest, professional or personal, with one another, and to pool those interests to help develop the Los Angeles Chapter in accordance with its vision and mission. The Happy Hour gala event will be held on Friday, June 2, 2006 at Crustacean Euro-Asian Cuisine from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m. We are requested by the restaurant to arrive promptly at 4:00 p.m. Afterward, all are invited to dine together as a Chapter. If you are interested in attending this event, you must RSVP to join us. We look forward to meeting all members and an enjoyable evening.

ACR-LA Recruitment Challenge from Chapter President Thomas Watkins: As President of the Los Angeles Chapter, I have thrown down the gauntlet to each member to enroll a minimum of two new members before the end of 2006—and that includes me. The recruitment winner will be honored during the Chapter’s annual meeting. Visit http://www.mediate.com/acrla  or contact me at www.ThomasResolutions.com.

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution

Pepperdine University School of Law

19th Annual Professional Skills Program in Dispute Resolution

June 22-24, 2006

Malibu, California.

Participants engage in three days of intensive skills instruction and practice in one focused area.  Each program includes lectures, small group discussions and practice exercises.  Choose from the following twelve workshops: 

• Advanced Mediation:  Skills and Techniques
• “STAR” A Systematic Approach to Mediation Strategies
• Mediating Complex Construction Disputes
• Specialized Mediation:  Handling Challenging Employment, Medical Malpractice and PI Cases
• The Protean Mediator as Leader:  Advanced Problem Solving Theory and Design
• Advanced Family Mediation Skills
• Mediating the Complex Case:  An Emphasis on Process Design, Party Management and Insurance Coverage
• Strategic Negotiation Skills
• Designing Dispute Resolution Systems in the Workplace
• Arbitrating the Complex Case
• Mindfulness for Dispute Resolvers:  Awareness Skills for Lawyers, Negotiators, Mediators, and Managers         
• Managing Business Conflict:  State-of-the-Art Strategies for In-House and Outside Counsel

For more information contact Lori Rushford at (310) 506-6342 or go to http://www.law.pepperdine.edu/straus

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