What's new with MWI:

September 2010

Disputes inevitably arise in the course of governmental operations. Such disputes manifest themselves in third party claims as well as in conflicts among members of the government family, with citizen groups and with other municipalities.  MWI’s Municipal ADR Program has proven to be a highly successful alternative means of resolving conflicts while reducing the associated costs. MWI mediators, arbitrators and facilitators can help those struggling with conflict to secure resolutions economically and efficiently.  For more information about MWI's Municipal ADR Program, please visit www.mwi.org/municipal or contact Dan Funk, MWI Mediator and Consultant, at dfunk@mwi.org.
 

August 2010

In July, MWI completed a total of 77 mediations and arbitrations. Twelve of these mediations were held in five different cities - St. Louis, Newark, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Dallas. The MWI mediators who conducted these cases were from Dallas, New York, San Francisco, Florida, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Rockville, Boston and Sarasota. The disputes in all cases center around contractual issues between the parties.

Please see www.mwi.org/commercial for information on MWI's Panel of Mediators and Arbitrators for business to business conflict. If you would like to discuss a potential matter for mediation, contact Nancy Connelly at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x25.
 

July 2010

• In June, the Southern New England School of Law, which will in July officially become the University of Massachusetts School of Law – Dartmouth, will publish an article by Jack Esher in its electronic law review, the Roundtable Symposium Law Journal. The article, entitled Alternative Dispute Resolution in U.S. Bankruptcy Practice, summarizes some of the key developments in the use of ADR in bankruptcy practice from the early years in the 1980’s to the present. Besides annotating the use of ADR generally, the article provides more detailed history on the use of ADR in claims resolution, particularly with the use of Claims Facilities, and in achieving consensual Chapter 11 plans in reorganization cases. The article as submitted for publication can be reviewed by clicking here.  It will be included in 4 S. New. Eng. Roundtable Symp. L. J. (2009).
  
   
• This month's featured mediator is Josh Hoch. Josh is a member of MWI's Divorce Mediation Panel and he is celebrating his 10th year as a staff member at MWI.
  
  Josh Hoch is a mediator, trainer, and is Director of Mediation Services at Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI). In this capacity, Josh supervises mediators who conduct over 700 mediations for MWI each year. He manages cases referred from individuals, organizations, companies, EAP’s, therapists, law firms, attorneys in private practice, judges, and for 26 divisions within Massachusetts Trial Court System including the Massachusetts BMC & District Court Department, the Probate and Family Court Department, and the Land Court Department. A mediator since 1996, Josh mediates family, divorce, parenting, child support, never married parents, housing, and eviction cases with MWI and other ADR organizations. In addition to his mediation work, Josh is also a member of MWI's training faculty and leads advanced divorce, eviction, and corporate mediation trainings in Massachusetts and throughout the United States. Josh is a member of the Association for Conflict Resolution, the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), and is on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Chapter of AFCC where he has served as Chair of the ADR Committee. Josh has been featured in the Boston Globe and on the award-winning New England newsmagazine television show "Chronicle" where he provided information about marriage, divorce and the use of divorce and family mediation in Massachusetts.
   

June 2010

The latest issue of MWI's Bankruptcy Mediation News now available online at http://www.mwi.org/bankruptcy/news/bnkvol1no3.htm. 

This edition includes articles and  about MWI's work in the world of bankruptcy mediation including managing preference cases, the Massachusetts Bankruptcy Court's new ADR program and a journal article entitled "Alternative Dispute Resolution in United States Bankruptcy Practice" which summarizes some of the key developments in the use of ADR in bankruptcy practice from the early years in the 1980’s to the present.

An overview of MWI's Bankruptcy Mediation Services, plus panelist bios, can be found by clicking here.  Please contact Nancy Connelly, Director of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x25 for additional information.

 

May 2010

• MWI's Executive Director, Chuck Doran, presented at the New England Business Xpo at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center on May 18th at 3:00 PM.   This event is expected to draw upwards of 10,000 business professionals in its second year, from all over the Northeast.  Information about the presentation can be found by clicking here.
  
   
• This month's featured mediator is Jack Esher.  Jack is a member of MWI's Bankruptcy Panel and has been a mediator or arbitrator in bankruptcy and commercial matters for more than 20 years.  MWI is proud to offer the industry's finest dispute resolution professionals to businesses, universities and individuals.  Should you have questions or would like additional information, please contact us at mwi@mwi.org. 
  
  Jack Esher has represented lenders, trustees, creditors’ committees, business debtors and sophisticated consumer debtors in bankruptcy cases for over 25 years. He has also served as a mediator or arbitrator in bankruptcy and commercial matters for more than 20 years. Mr. Esher has been a member of the distinguished panel of mediators and arbitrators at JAMS and is an internationally recognized leader in the field of ADR, since 1996. In the early 1980’s, Mr. Esher was one of the pioneers in the field of alternative dispute resolution. More recently, he has been a key figure in advocating for the use of ADR techniques in bankruptcy proceedings. He is co-author of the acclaimed American Bankruptcy Institute publication: The ABI Guide to Bankruptcy Mediation (2005), and was recently appointed to the Register of Mediators for the Delaware Bankruptcy Court. Mr. Esher has been a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute for over fifteen years, and was the Founding Chair of the ADR Committee of the ABI, serving in that position from 1994 to 2001. He currently serves on the Northeast Conference Organizing Committee. Mr. Esher is a frequent lecturer on bankruptcy and ADR topics. He has conducted mediation trainings for judges, attorneys and business leaders in the United States and in Thailand. His authored works include Claim Resolution Facilities (ABA, 2003); How to Succeed in Mediation Without Trying…Your Case (ABI, 2002); Valuing and Selling Intellectual Property (ABI, 2000); The Structured Negotiation Process, (ABI, 1999); Chapter 36, Alternative Dispute Resolution in Bankruptcy Practice (J.Esher & R.Tilton), Chapter 11 Theory and Practice (LRP Publications, 1998) and The Mediation Manual (ABI 1996).

April 2010

Since 1994, MWI has been a leader in professional mediation training. MWI has designed and conducted over two hundred 20- to 40-hour basic and advanced mediation training programs for range of corporate, institutional, individual and non-profit clients such as Coca Cola Enterprises, Bose, General Motors, the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy.  MWI's open enrollment training programs have attracted thousands of attorneys, mental health providers and others from all over the U.S. and the world.

In March 2010, twenty-two professionals from a range of disciplines including law, medicine, consulting and academia completed MWI's Forty-Hour Mediation Training held at Suffolk Law School.  A picture of the participants, plus trainers Diane Levin and Chuck Doran on the far right and left sides, can be found below.

For more information about MWI's mediation training programs, please contact Chuck Doran, Executive Director, at 800-348-4888 x22 or at <cdoran@mwi.org>.  Additional information can be found at <www.mwi.org/training>.
 

March 2010

In February 2010, MWI's Executive Director, Chuck Doran, led a negotiation workshop for the Boston Chapter of the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO).  Chuck worked with Chapter Members to build their capacity to negotiate more effectively while facilitating a powerful interaction within this exceptional group of peers.  WPO is a membership organization for women who are presidents of successful and innovative companies.  The WPO is headquartered in New York City and currently has over 82 active chapters and over 1800 members across the US and in Canada. There are two primary membership options: Chapter and Member-At-Large. Each chapter meets monthly, consists of 10-20 women presidents, CEOs, Managing Directors, etc, and is moderated by a professionally-trained facilitator. WPO members have an average of $13 million in annual revenues, 97 employees, and have 20 years of business experience.  The WPO website also reports that the current member aggregate represents $14.5 billion in annual revenues, 106,000 employees and 22,000 years in business! More information about the WPO can be found at www.womenpresidentsorg.com.

For more information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services, please contact Chuck Doran, Executive Director, at 800-348-4888 x22 or at <cdoran@mwi.org>.  Additional information can be found at <www.mwi.org/negotiation>.
 

February 2010

This month's featured mediator is Michael Dickstein.  MWI is proud to offer the industry's finest dispute resolution professionals to businesses, universities and individuals.  MWI will feature MWI's mediators and arbitrators throughout the year for your reference.  Should you have questions or would like additional information, please contact us at mwi@mwi.org.

• Michael Dickstein is a full-time mediator, arbitrator, and negotiation/ADR teacher based in San Francisco.  He teaches negotiation at Stanford Law School, is a former partner in one of America's leading law firms (Heller Ehrman et al.), and was the national Co-Chair of the Association for Conflict Resolution's Workplace Section. Mr. Dickstein has mediated and successfully settled cases on a wide variety of topics (including commercial, contract, real estate, employment, malpractice, franchise, construction defect, personal injury, class action, and defamation issues). Examples of his work include: mediating a nationwide class action with approximately 3000 class members and tens of millions of dollars at issue; mediating a multi-party international commercial contract dispute; mediating a dispute over control and ownership of a company between two factions of the Board of Directors and shareholders; facilitating the contract negotiations between Canada's theatre actors and major theatre owners; and mediating/facilitating discussions between a nationwide organization and its regional wing. In addition, Mr. Dickstein serves as a Judge pro tem, and teaches classes on mediation and negotiation around the world. In addition to Stanford, he has taught in conjunction with such institutions as Boalt Hall Law School (U.C. Berkeley), the University of San Francisco (MBA program), the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California, and the law schools of Melbourne and Notre Dame Universities. Mr. Dickstein received his A.B. and J.D. from Harvard University.
   

January 2010

MWI mediated and arbitrated 704 cases in 2009.  MWI's mediators and arbitrators helped over 1500 parties in New England and across the country including California, Florida, New York, Ohio, and Texas, reach resolution in bankruptcy, construction, divorce, employment, franchise and workplace matters.  A sample listing of MWI's neutrals can be found be clicking here.

For more information about MWI's ADR services and training programs, please contact Chuck Doran, Executive Director, at cdoran@mwi.org at 617-973-9739.
 

December 2009

In early 2009, MWI launched its "College and University Mediation Program", which offers MWI's college and university clients a wealth of experience in higher education and employment matters, expert consultation on the form and timing of dispute resolution, and competitive prices. Types of cases that the program mediates include: EEO claims, disputed terminations, disputes involving faculty, administrators, students, or departments; tenure disputes and labor-management contract disputes, to name a few.  Information about the program, including a sample list of mediator bios can be found by clicking here.

To review the most recent issue of "College and University Mediation News", please click here.

For more information about the mediation program, please contact Steve Manos, Mediator at smanos@mwi.org or at 617-945-5204.
 

November 2009

The Harvard Negotiation Law Review (HNLR) Online published an article written by MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel. The article, entitled “Addressing Power Differentials in Negotiation: Don’t Let ‘em Push You Around,” offers tips and advice to those negotiators who feel they are the “weaker” party in a negotiation and end up giving up more than what they want as a result. For a link to the article, please click here.

For more information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or at sfrenkel@mwi.org. Additional information can be found at www.mwi.org/negotiation.
 

October 2009

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) was ranked as the third largest ADR firm in Massachusetts in the Boston Business Journal's September 2009 "Largest ADR Companies List."  MWI placed number five last year.  Despite our improved status and ranking, this list does not include mediators and cases from outside Massachusetts.   MWI has the second largest number of panel members in Massachusetts.  Click here to review the BBJ's list of largest ADR companies.

For more information about MWI's dispute resolution services and training programs, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.
 

September 2009

MWI will be celebrating its 15th anniversary this year. Since September 1994, MWI has offered mediation, arbitration and ombuds services as well as mediation and negotiation training to clients both locally and nationally. Information about MWI's bankruptcy, construction, divorce, real estate and workplace mediation and arbitration services is available by clicking the links above.

For more information about MWI, please contact contact Chuck Doran, MWI's Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888.
 

August 2009

MWI is expanding its panel of employment mediators for national clients. MWI’s neutrals already cover the United States on a regional basis. This new effort is focused on providing local mediators in every major city in the country. MWI is reaching-out to experienced mediators with approximately five years of full-time mediation experience and 100 employment mediations.  Interested professionals are asked to fill out an application that covers background, experience and mediation style. The application is available at <www.mwi.org/workplace/application.doc>.

For more information about MWI's Employment Mediation Services, please contact Tad Mayer, MWI Director of Commercial & Facilitation Services at tmayer@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x26.
 

July 2009

June 2009

• MWI's Director of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration, Nancy Connelly was featured in the first issue of "Independent Joe" magazine which is published quarterly by the DDIFO (Dunkin’ Donuts Independent Franchise Owners).  The article can be found in a "virtual magazine" format by clicking here.  For more information about MWI's commercial mediation and arbitration services, please contact Nancy Connelly at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
   
• MWI's Executive Director, Chuck Doran, presented at the Mediation Pedagogy Conference which was held by Negotiation Pedagogy at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School on Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May 16, 2009.  As outlined on the PON website, "The conference will bring together academics and professional trainers of mediation to discuss teaching the skills and concepts of mediation to a variety of professional and disciplinary audiences. Our goal is to question pedagogical assumptions, share our experiences, and learn from each other. While the conference is open to the public, it will be geared primarily toward those who teach mediation."  Additional information about the conference can be found by clicking here.  For more information, please contact contact Chuck Doran, MWI's Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888.

May 2009

• MWI is honored to welcome William M. Levine of Lee & Levine and Alan Geismer of Sugarman, Rogers, Barshak and Cohen, P.C. to MWI's Divorce Mediation Panel.  MWI mediates divorce and family cases throughout Massachusetts and is an approved provider of mediation services for the Probate and Family Court Department.  For more information about MWI's Divorce Mediation Services and MWI's mediators, please visit www.mwi.org/divorce or contact Josh Hoch, Director of Mediation Services at 800-348-4888 x23 or <jhoch@mwi.org>.
   
• In April 2009, MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel, conducted a breakout session at the 2009 Harvard Negotiation & Leadership Conference. The theme of the conference was “Strategy and Ethics in Negotiations” and Stephen spoke on the topic of difficult negotiations and conversations. Other presenters at this conference included negotiation thought leaders and practitioners Larry Susskind, Howard Raifa and Eric Green.  For more information about the conference please click here.  Please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or at <sfrenkel@mwi.org> for information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services.

April 2009

• The Harvard Negotiation Law Review (HNLR) Online published an article written by MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel.  The article, entitled “Communication 2.0: The Perils of Communicating Through Technology,” discussing the challenges and limitations of communicating effectively using technology.  For a link to the article, please click here.  For more information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or at <sfrenkel@mwi.org>. Additional information can be found at <www.mwi.org/negotiation>.
  
   
• MWI's Director of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Programs, Nancy Connelly, was interviewed by Michael Webster of BizOp News.  To read the interview in its entirety, please click here.  For more information about MWI's commercial mediation and arbitration services, please contact Nancy Connelly at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
   

March 2009

The Harvard Negotiation Law Review (HNLR) Online published an article written by MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel.  The article, entitled “The Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: The Value of Empowering Your Counterparts to Collaborate,” addresses common struggles in negotiations including: trust, internal team factions and answers questions about leading the interest-based negotiation process. MWI regularly contributes articles and content on related topics to world-renowned publications including HNLR, Chief Learning Officer Magazine (CLO) and the Boston Globe as well as our own eNewsletter, based on our negotiation training and coaching experience.

For a link to the article, please click here.

For more information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or at <sfrenkel@mwi.org>. Additional information can be found at <www.mwi.org/negotiation>.
 

February 2009

MWI mediates real estate cases throughout Massachusetts and is an approved provider of mediation services for the Land Court Department.  MWI is honored to welcome Hon. Peter W. Kilborn (ret.), former Chief Justice of the Land Court and Joel M. Reck, retired partner and former Chair of the Real Estate Department at Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP to MWI's Real Estate Panel.

MWI's expert panel of has helped parties resolve a variety of disputes involving: Adverse Possession, Boundary, Contracts, Declaration of Trust, Easements, Mortgage foreclosure, Petitions for Partitions, Permit Session Cases, Planning Board, Probate Estates, Jointly Owned Property for Unmarried Couples, Title, Zoning Board and Zoning Variances.

For more information about MWI's Real Estate Mediation Services and MWI's mediators, please visit www.mwi.org/realestate or contact Josh Hoch, Director of Mediation Services at 800-348-4888 x23 or <jhoch@mwi.org>.
 

January 2009

MWI provided mediation services to over 1905 clients from 25 states in 2008.  MWI's panel of mediators, consisting of over 100 of the most effective mediators from across the US, successfully mediated 710 cases in 2008 including:

• Business & Commercial
• Real Estate
• Divorce
• Construction
• Franchise
• Workplace & Employment

In addition to MWI's mediation services, MWI also provided collaborative negotiation skills training, ombuds services and mediation training to hundreds of clients in 2008.

For more information about MWI's services and training programs, please contact contact Chuck Doran, MWI's Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888.
 

December 2008

Chuck Doran, MWI's Executive Director, and Melanie Lewis, Director of Solutions at Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE), will deliver a presentation about the origins and successes of CCE's Employee ADR Program on December 10, 2008 at the Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School.  Additional information about the program can be found at PON's website at:

http://www.pon.harvard.edu/events/adr-in-the-corporation-an-overview-of-the-%e2%80%9csolutions%e2%80%9d-program-at-coca-cola-enterprises/

For more information about MWI's work with Coca-Cola Enterprises and other clients, please contact Chuck Doran at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
 

November 2008

• BuyerZone was founded in 1992 with 1M users is the leading online marketplace for business purchasing. BuyerZone recently interviewed MWI's Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel, about resolving disputes with business partners. Click here to access the full article.
   
• MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel, joins SalesPractice.com’s panel as a "Top Sales Expert." SalesPractice.com is home to a growing online sales training community where members from around the world can participate in sales training discussions, find or publish sales training content, and/or network with members of the community. As a "Top Sales Expert", Stephen regularly contributes his advice on an ongoing forum, in which members from around the world post questions and threads about sales-related topics.
  
  Members of the sales training community include business owners, managers, trainers, and sales professionals with experience levels ranging from novice to advanced in industries such as Automotive, Finance, Insurance, Manufacturing, Medical, Pharmaceuticals, Professional Services, Real Estate, Retail, Software, Technology Consulting and more.
  
  To date, Stephen has contributed to topics ranging from: selling services to IT professionals, reconnecting with "lost" prospects, film negotiations and negotiation training. For a sample posting, click here.

For more information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or at <sfrenkel@mwi.org>. Additional information can be found at <www.mwi.org/negotiation>.
 

October 2008

The fall 2008 issue of Insights Magazine, published by the Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA), features an article authored by MWI mediator and executive director, Chuck Doran.  The article is designed to assist potential users of mediation to interview, assess and choose an effective mediator.  A copy of the article can be obtained by clicking here.

For more information, please contact Chuck Doran at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.
 

September

This month's featured mediator is Jane Juliano.  Mediation Works Incorporated is proud to offer the industry's finest dispute resolution professionals to corporations, institutions, and individuals nationally.  MWI will feature selected mediators and arbitrators throughout the year for your reference. 

• Jane Juliano has over fifteen years experience in mediation and arbitration and is an Adjunct Professor in Mediation and Negotiation at the Georgetown University Law Center at George Washington University Law School. Ms. Juliano has mediated cases of complex litigation with multiple parties, private and governmental. She was appointed mediator with the District of Columbia and Virginia Courts, the World Bank, the Federal Election Commission and Arbitrator, U.S. Library of Congress Copyright Royalty Arbitration Panel. Construction dispute resolution case highlights include resolving real estate matters and investment property interests for construction development, mediation and arbitration of construction disputes, including claims for failure of structure at a construction site resulting in personal injury, construction contract damages, real estate/construction of parking garage and general substantial construction contract damages. Trainings she has conducted include the Department of Justice, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the U.S.D.A,. the EEOC, the International Trademark Lawyers Association - San Paulo, Brazil and Berlin, Germany 2007-8 and Difficulties in Settlement – Personality Disorders, Georgetown Medical School. She recently returned from conducting mediation training sessions in China. Ms. Juliano graduated with honors from Georgetown University Law Center and she is a member of the American Bar Association, Sections on Dispute Resolution, Employment and ADR in Tax; the Ethics Committee, American Bar Association, Section on Dispute Resolution and past President of the Virginia Mediation Network. Ms. Juliano is currently a Scholar of the College at Harvard University and she continues there as an associate professor as well. She also continues workplace investigation and mediation and arbitration nationally.

Should you have questions or would like additional information about MWI's mediators, please visit www.mwi.org/about/people.htm or contact us at mwi@mwi.org.

August 2008

The Womens Presidents' Organization (WPO) is a membership organization for women presidents' of multimillion dollar companies. Members of the WPO take part in professionally-facilitated peer advisory groups in order to coax the 'genius out of the group' and grow their businesses to the next level. The WPO is headquartered in New York City and currently boasts over 70 active chapters and over 1500 members across the US and in Canada. There are two primary membership options: Chapter and Member-At-Large. Each chapter meets monthly, consists of 10-20 women presidents/CEOs/Managing Directors/etc, and is moderated by a professionally-trained facilitator. WPO members have an average of $12 million in annual revenues, 89 employees, and have 21 years of business experience. MWI's role was to build the capacity of WPO members to negotiate more effectively while facilitating a powerful interaction within this exceptional group of peers.  More information about the WPO can be found at www.womenpresidentsorg.com.

For more information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or at <sfrenkel@mwi.org>. Additional information can be found at <www.mwi.org/negotiation>.

July 2008

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) is a national provider of mediation services headquartered in Boston, MA.  In June alone, MWI is conducted mediations in the following states in addition to 43 cases mediated in Massachusetts:

California
- Commercial Mediation: $480k mixed audit debit and loss of bonus / settled
- Franchise Mediation: Recovery from 3rd party franchisee for fees and damages in separate matter / settled

Florida
- Franchise Mediation: $40k in audit deviations / settled

Illinois
- Franchise Mediation: $106k in audit deviations / settled

Kentucky
- Construction Mediation: Extension for facility construction / settled

New Jersey
- Franchise Mediation: Relocation conflict / settled

New York
- Franchise Mediation: Deemed miscommunication resulting in $78k debit / settled

For more information about MWI's commercial mediation services, please contact Nancy Connelly, Director of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
 

June 2008

• ASA's Federal Ombudsman for Borrowers, Grace Bartini, recognized MWI's strategic partnership with ASA, in the 2007 Ombudsman Annual Report:
  
  "At ASA, our reputation as a trusted and knowledgeable conflict negotiator is the result of the organization's commitment to ongoing development of our skills. Through a balance of formal training and practical application, ASA associates are equipped with the knowledge and resources to handle any situation that comes their way. Frequent in-house training is one tactic that has proved effective for keeping associates’ conflict resolution skills sharp. ASA continued our relationship with Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) in 2007, bringing them in to conduct 14 on-site negotiation training sessions for associates.  The result of this program is a workforce comprised of skilled associates who can confidently complete transactions and provide expert counseling to our borrowers. It is precisely this type of constantly reinforced, internal training that keeps ASA associates ahead of the curve when it comes to skill development. We continue to support the highest standard of learning and skill development. As a result we have experienced success in our default prevention efforts and Wellness initiatives."
  
  For more information about MWI's Negotiation Programs please visit www.mwi.org/negotiation or contact Stephen Frenkel, MWI's Director of Negotiation Programs at 800-348-4888 x24.
   
• Josh Hoch, Mediator and Director of Mediation Services at MWI, was part of a roundtable panel discussion for the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association for Conciliation Courts titled, "A Child's Voice in Court: How to Get It, How to Interpret It and How to Use It" at the Suffolk Probate and Family Court on May 15, 2008. The panel also included the Honorable E. Chouteau Merrill, Circuit Justice in the Probate and Family Court, Dr. Robin M. Deutsch from the Children and the Law Program at MGH & AFCC President Elect, Attorney Amy Lynn Blake of Casner & Edwards, Attorney Alex D. Jones of Looney & Grossman, LLP and Moira Toomey, MSW from the Probation Department. Josh provided information on mediation styles and the use of mediation for divorce cases in Massachusetts. Josh has been mediating divorce cases for eight years and oversees MWI 's Divorce Mediation Program which provides divorce mediation services throughout Massachusetts. For more information about MWI's Divorce Mediation Services, click here.  Information about the AFCC can be found by visiting www.afccnet.org.
   

May 2008

• MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel, delivered a Best Practices Roundtable entitled “Strategic Negotiations” for the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce on May 6, 2008.  Stephen’s presentation focused on the benefits of taking a collaborative approach to negotiation and provided an introduction to the interest-based model of negotiation that MWI has built its programs on. In attendance were over 60 members of the Boston business community.  For more information about the program, please click here.
   
• Charles Doran, MWI's Executive Director, spoke with students at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School on April 14, 2008.   Joining Charles was Chris Kauders, the founder of Pre-Trial Solutions, Inc.  Chris spent eight years mediating cases as Executive Vice President of U.S. Arbitration & Mediation of New England, Inc. Prior to entering the ADR field as a full-time practitioner, Chris practiced law at Bank of Boston and at the Boston law firm of Needham & Warren. The audio is in 3 parts and is available by clicking here.
   

April 2008

When MWI staff purchased blue nalgene water bottles bearing the MWI logo for MWI mediators, we never thought a bottle would make it to the Summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.  Mediator Blair Trippe gave an MWI water bottle to her son, Brian Trippe and Mediator Iris Taymore Schnitzer gave an MWI water bottle to her nephew, Crosby Taymore.  Although both boys attended the same school in West Newton, MA, it was only after Brian spotted an MWI water bottle in the hand of his classmate on the summit of the mountain did they both realize their mutual connection to MWI.  Small world.
 

March 2008

• BMW of North America ('BMW NA') is extending its relationship with Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) as the exclusive provider of ADR services between BMW NA and its dealers until 2011.  The arrangement for mediation services in contractual disputes between BMW NA and BMW NA Dealers extends to the BMW Passenger Car, the Mini, the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and the BMW Motorcycle Divisions. The process for alternative dispute resolution also includes Rolls-Royce Motor Car LLC, NA.  For more information, please contact Nancy Connelly, Director of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x24.
   
• As of March 1st, Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) moved offices within historic Faneuil Hall in Boston to better serve our clients with multiple mediation rooms, private offices and a new kitchen!  Please update your records to reflect our new address:

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI)
4 Faneuil Hall - Fourth Floor
Boston, MA 02109-1632

617-973-9739 - phone
800-348-4888 - toll-free
617-973-9532 - fax
mwi@mwi.org - email
www.mwi.org - web

Please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22 for more information and/or to schedule a visit.
 

February 2008

MWI is now an approved provider of negotiation training services through the Massachusetts Workforce Training Fund.  Financial assistance is available to ALL Massachusetts-based organizations and organizations with Massachusetts-based employees, regardless of the size or nature of your organization, for initiatives up to $1Million.  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will contribute half the cost of your training with MWI as part of their commitment to improving the appeal and strength of the workforce in the Commonwealth. Read more about this exciting opportunity by clicking here.

For more information about MWI's negotiation training and consulting services, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 6800-348-4888 x24 or at <sfrenkel@mwi.org>. Additional information can be found at <www.mwi.org/negotiation>.

January 2008

Beginning January 1, 2008, MWI's Chuck Doran will provide ombudsman services for American Student Assistance (ASA), the nation's oldest student loan guarantor. As the Ombudsman, Chuck will provide ASA's 750 employees with a unique and confidential channel for voicing complaints and resolving conflict. MWI's Ombudsman services offers all employees and management with opportunities to discuss and seek advice on how to handle difficult situations; workplace mediation services; insights about company policies; and support that is designed to build morale, productivity and the capacity of the workforce to manage and resolve conflicts on their own. All conversations with the Ombudsman are held in absolute confidence, except where the Ombudsman perceives an imminent risk of serious harm. Confidentiality provides employees with a safe avenue to communicate their concerns without fear of retaliation or adversely impacting their career at the organization. Notwithstanding confidentiality, the Ombudsman will provide general information to management about patterns of concerns and opportunities for improvement. This information is useful to companies that are committed to creating a supportive and healthy work environment and resolving concerns before they escalate into serious issues. For more information about MWI's Ombudsman Services, please contact Chuck Doran at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22 or visit www.mwi.org/services/ombuds.htm.
 

December 2007

General Motors Corporation (GM) has renewed an exclusive contract with Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) for a three-year period until 2010 to provide mediation and arbitration services to resolve all contractual conflicts between GM Dealers and GM.  GM’s unique ADR process involves a three-person mediation panel consisting of an experienced MWI mediator and a GM Dealer and a GM Management person trained in mediation.  MWI’s qualified mediators and arbitrators have experience in the resolution of automotive-franchise disputes from working with MWI clients such as BMW and Rolls-Royce.  The parties benefit from the combination of working with an experienced process expert from MWI and two industry specialists from the automotive industry. MWI continues to be the sole provider of ADR services to all divisions of GM throughout the United States including Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Oldsmobile, Hummer, Saab as well as to the Saturn Corporation.

For more information about the GM Dispute Resolution process and the mediation of other commercial mediation matters, please contact Nancy Connelly, Director of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
 

November 2007

This month's featured mediator is Maxell "Bud" Silverberg from Texas.  Mediation Works Incorporated is proud to offer the industry's finest dispute resolution professionals to corporations, institutions, and individuals nationally.  MWI will feature selected mediators and arbitrators throughout the year for your reference.  Should you have questions or would like additional information, please contact us at mwi@mwi.org.

• Max Silverberg, MWI Mediator, was formerly a senior attorney with the U.S. Treasury Department, Vice President-Tax Counsel of the parent company for Trailways, Delta Steamship Lines and other domestic and foreign corporations. His areas of practice include all types of business, employment, commercial and financial transactions and labor relations. Further, Mr. Silverberg has mediated more than 2000 cases in conflicts regarding employer-employee relations; complex business transactions; retirement plans; franchisers and franchisees; massive torts; professional malpractice; and disputes involving municipalities and grievances filed against attorneys by the State Bar of Texas. Mr. Silverberg has extensive experience mediating a wide range of employment disputes including sexual harassment; wrongful terminations; alleged racial, sexual and age discrimination; breach of employment contracts; constructive discharges; terminations for refusal to violate the law; theft of trade secrets; violation of non-compete agreements; defamation of employees; interference with employment relationships; violations of the Family Medical Leave Act; whistleblower cases: ERISA and other retirement plans; and violations of the Americans With Disabilities Act. A member of many local, state and national professional associations, Mr. Silverberg is a former member of the Civil Justice Reform Act Advisory Committee to the Federal District Courts for the N. District of TX. He has had extensive arbitration and mediation training, including the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiations, the Key Bridge Foundation - Americans with Disabilities Act; NASDA and EEOC mediation training and International Arbitration Training with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Mr. Silverberg has a B.B.A. from the University of Texas and a J.D. from the University of Texas Law School. He also has an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University, where he has been an Adjunct Professor for Dispute Resolution at the Law School from 1997. He holds several professional awards, including being named one of the Texas Super Lawyers in 2003, 2004 and 2007 for ADR.
   

October 2007

In September, MWI continued our global rollout of negotiation skills training and coaching to Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). In this round, MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel, traveled to China and Taiwan to co-deliver customized two-day negotiation training sessions with one of our negotiation instructors based in China, ensuring regional accuracy and applicability, along with appropriate language and cultural capabilities. These trainings were part of a larger, world-wide negotiation skills training and coaching initiative that MWI has developed and implemented for ADI over the course of the past year, in Japan, Boston, San Jose, Paris, and Munich. Plans for additional world-wide basic and advanced trainings and coaching sessions are currently in the works. Check back often for continued updates on this exciting initiative or click here to receive MWI's quarterly newsletter, MWI Negotiation News.

For more information about MWI’s work in the semiconductor industry, our work in other industries, or about a similar program for your organization, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 617-973-9739 x24 or at <sfrenkel@mwi.org>. Additional information about MWI’s negotiation services can be found at <www.mwi.org/negotiation/index.htm>.
 

September 2007

• The Boston Business Journal (BBJ) ranked Mediation Works Incorporated as the fifth largest ADR firm in Massachusetts in the BBJ's September 2007 "Largest ADR Companies List".  While MWI remains at number five as was last year, MWI ranked number 2 out of 10 in a list of ADR firms with the largest number of panel members.  In addition, MWI's Executive Director was interviewed about MWI's work with General Motors, Coca Cola Enterprises and MWI's external ombudsman services for small and large companies.  This article, which appears in the same issue as the Top 25 ADR firms, can be found by clicking here.  For more information about MWI's dispute resolution services and training programs, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.
  
   
• In August 2007, Chief Learning Officer’s (CLO) Senior Editor, Kellye Whitney, interviewed Stephen Frenkel, MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, about the differences between collaborative and competitive negotiation styles. The interview was featured in CLO’s Executive Briefings section and distributed to Chief Learning Officers across the country. In the interview, Stephen focuses on the long term gains of a good working relationship and the consequences of taking a competitive stance, particularly when negotiating with internal players, for whom a long term collaborative working relationship is essential.  To read the CLO Executive Briefing, click here. For more information about MWI’s negotiation training and coaching programs, contact Stephen Frenkel, MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or <sfrenkel@mwi.org>.
   

August 2007

In July, MWI managed a series of mediations in California involving a Fortune 500 corporation and 5 separate complainants. MWI, as the mediation service provider, convened top-quality mediators and also provided comprehensive process management services. By way of background, the parties agreed to five separate mediations with the responding party. To expedite the proceedings, MWI arranged for all mediations to be held at the same location on successive days, by agreement, thus saving money and time for all parties. To maintain the challenges as unique to each initiating party, MWI arranged for separate pre-mediation conference calls with the mediator and the respondent in advance of the mediation to clarify the issues in dispute and to prepare for the mediation.  In addition, either or both parties had the option to participate in a one-hour private session with the mediator the day before the scheduled mediation.  Mediation submissions requested from both parties for each session were provided to MWI, who circulated to the mediator and exchanged between the parties. Travel and hotel accommodations were centrally and quickly arranged through MWI. Submissions arrived and were distributed on schedule and parties from eight states traveled to the agreed-upon site, for a total of 64 sleeping room nights and over 60 pre-selected breakfasts and lunches. The successful gathering of diverse interests with a common responding party over several days speaks to MWI’s capacity as conveners and managers of multi-party, high-stakes disputes through mediation across the country.  For more information about MWI's commercial mediation services, please contact Nancy Connelly, Manager of Commercial Programs at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
 

July 2007

MWI has been working with Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI), on the development and implementation of a world-wide negotiation skill building initiative. After spending the previous seven months designing a custom 2-day Negotiation Skills Workshop, complete with ADI specific role plays, case examples, and internal process components, MWI began world-wide role out in May, 2007 (with an initial workshop in Tokyo, Japan in January, 2007). This first round of implementation began in Munich, Germany and continued in Paris, Boston, and San Jose, California. Additional workshops are currently being planned for Boston, Tokyo and China (Shanghai and Taipei).

Following training, MWI will work with ADI to ensure the principles and concepts delivered will be incorporated into ADI’s internal negotiations process through the use of MWI’s negotiation coaching services. This “multiple touch” approach to corporate learning and behavior change has been implemented successfully with other clients and is expected to yield tremendous results for ADI. Please check back on the “What’s New” section of MWI’s website for continued updates on this exciting initiative.

For more information about this initiative or a similar initiative for your organization, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or <sfrenkel@mwi.org>.
 

June 2007

• MWI led an interactive negotiation skills workshop at the second annual IDC IT Forum and Expo on June 8th in Boston. The goal of the Expo was to provide registrants with solutions to IT challenges from real-world examples of innovation and transformation. MWI's negotiation workshop was featured as special, high-level, outcome-driven workshop described as "MWI’s Negotiation Skills Workshop concentrates on the theory and practice of joint problem-solving and negotiation. Based on principles developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project and the bestseller “Getting To Yes”, this interactive workshop is designed to build your capacity to transform adversarial approaches to conflict into problem-solving collaborations, producing better outcomes for all parties while
  enhancing long-term working relationships." Information about the Expo and the program can be found by clicking here.  Information about IDC can be found at www.idc.com.  For more information about MWI's negotiation skills workshops, please click here or contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or sfrenkel@mwi.org.
   
• Starting in June of 2007, MWI instituted an online case submission form for companies, attorneys, court employees, and individuals to refer cases to be mediated through MWI.   To submit a case for mediation, please visit <https://www.mwi.org/case>. Cases submitted to MWI through an online referral form will be held in confidence and will be sent directly to MWI's Director of Mediation Services, Josh Hoch, via MWI's secure server. Josh will contact referrers and the clients within two business days after the form is submitted.  For more information about MWI's mediation services, please contact Josh Hoch at 617-973-9739 x23 or jhoch@mwi.org.
   

May 2007

In April 2007, a European manufacturer of classic autos with annual sales close to $4 billion filed a request for mediation with Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) in a dispute with a franchisee (‘the Dealer’) over the construction of a facility. The Dealer had the value of the brand through a different location but he had not constructed a new separate site several years into signing an agreement. This significant issue was destroying the business relationship between the parties and this was known to other Dealers who met the necessary compliance standards. MWI provided a three-person mediation panel model of a trained Dealer-Mediator (from NJ) and a trained Management-Mediator (from IL) selected by the parties, and an MWI Independent Facilitator (from MA) who served as the senior mediator and interpreter of the mediation process guidelines. Through mediation, the parties reached agreement in a highly contentious matter. Per the participants, the panel was a fabulous resource and helped to build credibility between the parties, where trust was lacking. Initially, the Dealer did not want to come to mediation and was unresponsive to correspondence and other forms of attempted communication. The company had reduced its thoughts to a sophisticated legal agreement, which overwhelmed the Dealer. He was also shaken by a surprise letter threatening termination of his dealership based on breach of his initial contract. The conflict could have resulted in loss of jobs, lost taxes to the city and considerable lost profits and damaged business reputation to the Dealer. The mediation served a greater role in improving the way the parties relate to one another. Both parties learned a lot from the many procedural issues between them that had not been raised previously and were openly discussed in mediation. In the end, the manufacturer gave the Dealer time to cure and the parties agreed that the MWI Mediator and the mediation process did a great service in mending what was almost broken, to everyone’s surprise.

For more information about MWI's commercial and franchise mediation programs, please contact Nancy Connelly, Manager of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
 

April 2007

MWI's Executive Director, Chuck Doran, led a negotiation workshop at the University of Arizona in Tucson in March 2007.  The program was sponsored by American Student Assistance for the Office of Finance at U of A.  Based on principles developed at the Harvard Negotiation Project and the bestseller "Getting to Yes", the goals of this interactive workshop was to build the capacity of participants to transform adversarial approaches to conflict into problem-solving collaborations, producing better outcomes for all parties while enhancing long-term working relationships.

For more information about MWI's negotiation skills workshops, please click here or contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 800-348-4888 x24 or sfrenkel@mwi.org.
 

March 2007

• MWI's Executive Director, Chuck Doran, chaired a negotiation seminar entitled "Negotiation: Reaching Agreement on Your Terms - Better settlements or agreements for your clients" on Tuesday, March 20, 2007 at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in Boston.  Over thirty-five attorneys from across Massachusetts participated in an interactive program focusing on principled negotiation techniques, dealing with difficult negotiators, risk analysis techniques, ethics and breaking stalemates.  Leading the program with Chuck was David Hoffman of the Boston Law Collaborative. Information about the program can be found by clicking here. 
   
• On Friday, March 2, 2007, MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, Stephen Frenkel, delivered the keynote address at the National Black Law Students Association’s first annual International Negotiations Competition. The event was held at the Boston Bar Association with over 60 law students representing their universities in teams from across the country and around the world. The address included examples of the successful use of ADR and collaborative negotiation techniques in the international arena as well as best practice advice for the competitors as they entered into the weekend long competition.
   

For more information about MWI's negotiation skills workshops, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 617-973-9739 x24 or sfrenkel@mwi.org.

 

February 2007

• On February 15, 2007, Stephen Frenkel, MWI’s Director of Negotiation Programs, was published in the Letter to the Editor section of the Boston Globe.  Stephen’s letter was written in response to an Opinion article written by Mark Brzezinski and Ray Takeyh entitled “Getting To Yes on Iran.”  The letter addressed the importance of focusing on parties’ similarities rather than differences in protracted negotiations. 
  
  - Click here to read Stephen’s Letter to the Editor. 
  - Click here to read the original article, “Getting To Yes on Iran” by Mark Brzezinski and Ray Takeyh.
  
  For more information on this topic or on MWI’s Negotiation services, please contact Stephen Frenkel, Director of Negotiation Programs, at 617-973-9739 x24 or sfrenkel@mwi.org.
  
   
• NESAP (the New England Society of Applied Psychology) invited MWI's Executive Director, Chuck Doran, to do a presentation on "Managing Conflict Productively: Mediation and Other Conflict Resolution Tools for the OD Professional" on January 19, 2007 in Weston, MA. The focus of the presentation was on helping Organizational Development Professionals take a close look at the mediation process: what it is; what it's not; how OD professionals use mediation and how mediators approach parties in conflict; how competitive organizations recognize that mediation is an effective and underutilized tool for building a cohesive workforce that is flexible, responsive and resilient in the face of a changing business environment. The program was also designed to help organizational development professionals leave with working knowledge of a variety conflict management methods, including strategies for introducing conflict resolution services and training within their organization.
  
  For more information about what MWI can do for your organization, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.
   

January 2007

• MWI's Director of Mediation, Josh Hoch, was featured in a special episode of the award-winning New England newsmagazine "Chronicle" entitled, "The Marrying Kind."  Josh provided information about marriage, divorce and the use of divorce mediation in Massachusetts.  This program aired on Thursday, January 18, 2007, at 7:30 p.m. on WCVB-TV, Channel 5 in Boston.  Program details can be found by clicking here.
   
• The Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution define that a court-connected referral for dispute resolution services can be made only to a program approved by the Chief Justice of the Trial Court Department in which the referral is made.  A “program” is defined in Rule 2 of the Uniform Rules on Dispute Resolution as follows: "An organization with which neutrals are affiliated, through membership on a roster or a similar relationship, which administers, provides and monitors dispute resolution services. A program may be operated by a court employee or by an organization independent of the court, including a corporation or a governmental agency. . ." Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) is such an approved organization that has remained in good standing to receive referrals from the Trial Court since 1994.  As of January 1, 2007, MWI has been reapproved to receive referrals from from the Superior, Land, District, BMC, Probate & Family and Juvenile Court Departments.  MWI's approval will expire on December 31, 2009 and the next application process will be for the period from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012.

For more information about MWI's divorce and court-referred mediation services, please contact MWI's Director of Mediation Services, Josh Hoch, at 617-973-9739 x23 or jhoch@mwi.org.
 

December 2006

Starting in November 2006, Mediation Works Incorporated launched a new divorce mediation and screening services pilot at the Suffolk Probate & Family Court in Boston. The purpose of the pilot is to provide mediation services to income-eligible parties including parents seeking divorce, never married parents discussing parenting plans and child support; cases involving paternity issues, parenting plans, division of property, custody disputes and visitation issues. MWI is grateful to the Massachusetts Bar Foundation for providing funding and MWI also wishes to thank the Honorable Jeremy A. Stahlin of the Court and also Christine Yurgelun, Probate and Family Court ADR Coordinator for their support and efforts with this program.

For more information about MWI's divorce and family mediation services, please contact Josh Hoch at 617-973-9739 x23 or jhoch@mwi.org.
 

November 2006

General Motors Corporation (GM) has renewed its contract with Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) to provide mediation and arbitration services to resolve all contractual conflicts between GM Dealers and GM.  GM’s unique ADR process involves a three-person mediation panel consisting of an experienced MWI mediator and a GM Dealer and a GM Management person trained in mediation.  MWI’s qualified mediators and arbitrators have experience in the resolution of automotive-franchise disputes from working with MWI clients such as BMW and Rolls-Royce.  The parties benefit from the combination of working with an experienced process expert from MWI and two industry specialists from the automotive industry. MWI continues to be the sole provider of ADR services to all divisions of GM throughout the United States including Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Oldsmobile, Hummer, Saab as well as to the Saturn Corporation.

For more information about the GM Dispute Resolution process, please contact Nancy Connelly, Manager of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
 

October 2006

For the fifth straight year, the International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution (INCR) Program at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy has partnered with Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) to offer a mediation training and practicum to provide Fletcher students with a foundation in the field of conflict resolution through mediation training and first-hand experience in the district courts of the Greater Boston area.  The mediation training is a comprehensive skill-building program designed to prepare participants to become effective mediators. Read about what students have written about the Fletcher Mediation Training and Practicum by visiting www.mwi.org/about/news/flarticlelist.htm. 

For more information, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.
 

September 2006
 

• Mediators from across the Commonwealth will gather on September 8, 2006 from 9 to 11 AM at Suffolk University Law School to discuss the Uniform Mediation Act which is currently pending before the Massachusetts Legislature (HB 19).  The UMA Working Group, which includes Chuck Doran from Mediation Works Incorporated, Ericka Gray of DisputED, and David Hoffman of the Boston Law Collaborative, is looking forward to meeting with members of the mediation community to explore whether the UMA can be improved and supported by mediators and members of the Legislature.  For information about this meeting, a copy of the UMA, and related documents and commentary, please visit www.massuma.com or contact Chuck Doran at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.
  
   
• The Massachusetts Bar Foundation recently awarded nearly $3.6 million in grants through its annual Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts (IOLTA) Grants Program.  Exceeding last year’s grant awards by over $300,000, this year’s grants will fund 131 programs conducted by 94 nonprofit organizations throughout Massachusetts, including two MWI Public Service Initiatives.
  
  In addition to serving our corporate and organizational clients, MWI is dedicated to serving income-eligible clients through MWI’s Public Service Initiatives, namely, MWI's Eviction Mediation Program and MWI's Family Mediation Program.  MWI is grateful to the Massachusetts Bar Foundation for funding the following two programs:
  
  1. MWI Eviction Mediation Program (awarded $15,000) Goal: To prevent homelessness by providing mediation services for summary process cases at the Plymouth, Hingham, Quincy, South Boston, East Boston, Dorchester, Wrentham, and Newton District Courts. Funds will be used to provide direct services to landlords and tenants as well at to recruit and train volunteer mediators.
  
  2. MWI Family Mediation Program (awarded $10,000) Goal: To provide mediation services to families who experience serious or chronic conflict between an adolescent and the parent(s) or guardian(s), as well as to parents seeking to separate or divorce. Referrals from the program are received from attorneys, Probate Court personnel, Juvenile Court personnel, and family organizations in Plymouth, Norfolk, Suffolk, and Middlesex Counties.
  
  For more information about MWI's Public Services Initiatives visit www.mwi.org/services/publicservice.htm or contact Josh Hoch, Director of Court and Divorce Mediation at jhoch@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x23.  For more information about the Massachusetts Bar Foundation visit www.massbarfoundation.org.
  
   

August 2006

• MWI has added "LiveHelp" to the MWI website.  LiveHelp allows clients to request information about MWI's services quickly and easily with MWI staff.  MWI's Josh Hoch who is available to answer any questions about MWI's services and training programs in real time. This means that there are no delays in getting the information you need. To chat, simply click on a Customer Service Live Chat icon and a small window will pop upon your screen. After a moment, Josh will introduce himself. Type in your question, hit the Submit button and begin your conversation. Remember, unlike email, there are no delays with live chat, so you receive an immediate answer.
   
  

  Live Chat Software by Comm100

  If prefer phone, contact Josh at 617-973-9739 x23. For email, use jhoch@mwi.org or push the blue Live Help button below to start chatting.
  
   

• MWI's Executive Director, Chuck Doran, served as a co-chair of the Massachusetts Mediation Services Provider Legislative Budget Coalition which sought and secured increased funding from the Massachusetts Legislature to provide mediation services to low-income parties called to the Massachusetts Trial Court.  Seventeen mediation providers from across the Commonwealth including the Administrative Office of the Trial Court worked together to increase funding in the FY07 State budget for mediation providers by over 14%.  The purpose and focus of the Coalition is to provide a forum for mediation services to work together in an open and collaborative manner in the interest of supporting and promoting mediation and each member program while growing awareness about mediation within the Legislature through a number of efforts, including a Legislative Breakfast.  Additional information about the Budget Coalition can be found at www.mwi.org/budget.
  
  For more information about the the Budget Coalition and MWI's court mediation services, please contact Charles Doran at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
   

July 2006

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) worked closely with senior HR personnel at Bose
Corporation to deliver an intensive four-day mediation training program on "The Mountain" at the Bose Headquarters in Framingham as well as at their Stow MA facility. The purpose of the program was to prepare senior HR staff at Bose to become effective mediators.

Looking towards the future, MWI will work with Bose to develop the capacity of the entire HR staff to spot and diagnose potential cases for mediation and will also work with Bose to design an internal mediation service designed to make mediation available to employees throughout the company.

For more information about MWI's in-house corporate mediation training programs, please contact Charles Doran at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
 

June 2006

NEHRA (the Northeast Human Resources Association) is featuring Chuck Doran's and Tad Mayer's article on how companies can benefit from a comprehensive employment dispute resolution program.  The article is available by clicking here.  For more information about MWI's Employment Dispute Resolution Programs, please contact Tad Mayer, MWI's Associate Director of Business Development at tmayer@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x26.


For more information MWI's commercial mediation services, please contact Nancy Connelly, Director of Commercial Programs at 617-973-9739 x25 or nconnelly@mwi.org.
 

May 2006

Josh Hoch, Mediator and Director of Mediation Services at MWI, has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC).  The AFCC, founded in 1993, is an interdisciplinary association of family law judges, attorneys, mediators, guardians ad-litem, court administrators, and mental health professionals.  It is dedicated to providing an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of ideas and the development of procedures to assist families in conflict; to encouraging the improvement of courts and court procedures emphasizing collaborative methods of dispute resolution; and working to develop and improve the provision of services that aid in resolution of family disputes.  As a newly elected board member, Josh plans to bring his experience as a family mediator and consultant working with various court systems to the table with the hopes that others may also benefit from ADR and his work.  Additional information about the Massachusetts Chapter of the AFCC can be found at www.afccnet.org/membership/massachusetts_chapter.asp.

For more information about family mediation services, or the AFCC, please contact Josh Hoch at 617-973-9739 x23 or jhoch@mwi.org.
 

April 2006

On March 21, 2006, MWI Mediator and Executive Director, Charles Doran, led a seminar with Melissa Manwaring of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School entitled "Negotiation: Reaching Agreement on Your Terms" at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in Boston. 

Over fifty attorneys from across Massachusetts participated in an interactive program focusing on principled negotiation techniques, dealing with difficult negotiators, ethics and breaking stalemates.  Information about the program can be found at MCLE's website: www.mcle.org/MCLE_Web/scriptcontent/custom/Books/ProductDetails.cfm?Product_Code=2060247PMA&action=MoreDetails&Code=Program%20Materials

For more information about MWI's negotiation skills workshops, please contact Charles Doran at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
 

March 2006

As of March 1st, Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) moved offices within historic Faneuil Hall in Boston to better serve our clients.  MWI's new space has more than double the square footage as compared to our old offices with multiple mediation rooms, a training facility and private offices for employees and interns. 

Please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22 for more information or to schedule a visit.
 

February 2006

Mediation Works Incorporated announces 2006-2007 mediation and negotiation training schedule:  In addition to offering mediation, facilitation and arbitration services to clients, MWI offers open-enrollment training programs designed to help participants become effective mediators and negotiators.  Introductory and advanced programs are held throughout the year in Boston.  Programs include a 40-hour mediation training program (in both a weekday and weekend format), a two day Effective Negotiation Skills Workshop, and an advanced Divorce Mediation Training Program for experienced mediators.

A complete schedule of basic mediation and negotiation programs can be found by clicking here and MWI's advanced program schedule can be found by clicking here.  For more information about the MWI's services and training, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
 

January 2006

In December 2005, Mediation Works Incorporated trained 67 General Motors wholesale and dealer representatives to mediate and arbitrate with GM's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.

GM's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program utilizes a three-person panel consisting of a lead neutral facilitator from Mediation Works Incorporated who works with one wholesale and one dealer mediator to assist GM resolve audit, incentive program and location disputes with dealers. 

Trainees participated in interactive exercises, role-plays and plenary sessions dedicated to preparing trainees to become effective mediators and arbitrators.  For more information about GM's Alternative Dispute Resolution Program, please see "What's New - July 2005" below or contact Nancy Connelly, Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Program Manager at 617-973-9739 x24 or nconnelly@mwi.org.
 

December 2005

Mediation Works Incorporated created and launched two new programs for American Student Assistance (ASA) designed to help ASA employees deal more effectively with difficult people.  American Student Assistance is the oldest and one of the leading federally funded nonprofit organizations in the country - promoting financial access to higher education through premium loan management and default prevention services to schools, student borrowers and partners.  A total of 16 "Dealing with Difficult People" training programs will be delivered in 2005-2006.

MWI's "Dealing With Difficult People” workshops are designed to help employees better understand and deal with difficult people who are more focused on attacking you rather than dealing with the problem.  These programs help employees diagnose difficult situations and advocate for an outcome that meets everyone's interests without escalating the problem.

Should you have any questions about MWI's Dealing with Difficult People Workshops, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at 617-973-9739 x22 or cdoran@mwi.org.
 

November 2005

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) welcomes Lisa Stefanac to the team as a negotiation trainer.  Lisa brings an enriched background of experience in the areas of negotiation, conflict management, leadership development, and organizational change having worked within various industries including telecommunications, finance, petroleum, and aerospace, with clients such as The World Bank Group, BP International, AT&T, and Merrill Lynch. She has also taught Communication skills to graduate students at Harvard University, and has facilitated team-building and joint problem solving sessions for MBA students at MIT Sloan School of Management.
 

October 2005

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) has been recognized by the Boston Business Journal (BBJ)as the sixth largest ADR firm in Boston in the BBJ's September 2005 "Largest ADR Companies List".  MWI moved up from number seven and increased its caseload from 696 in 2003 to 734 cases in 2004.  MWI placed number one in actual number of mediations conducted by an ADR firm in Boston.

For more information about MWI's dispute resolution services and training programs, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.

 

September 2005

This month Mediation Works Incorporated spotlights MWI's Divorce and Family Mediation Services. In the past two years over 200 families have benefited from divorce and family mediation services including: divorce, post-divorce, parent / child disputes, adult sibling disputes, parenting plans and child support for unmarried parents and adoption issues.

MWI is recognized as an "Approved Program" by the Massachusetts Probate & Family Court Department in Suffolk, Middlesex, Norfolk and Plymouth Counties.  MWI's Family Mediation Services offer free initial consultation sessions in Boston, Easton, Hingham, Quincy, Marblehead and Newton and free Open Houses each Thursday at 3:00 PM in Boston.

For more information, please contact MWI's Director of Mediation Services, Josh Hoch, at 617-973-9739 x23 or jhoch@mwi.org. Information is also available at www.mwi.org/services/divorce.htm.
 

August 2005

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) has provided over 20,000 Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) employees with conflict management and mediation training and mediation and arbitration services since 2002.  MWI has provided ADR services and training to CCE employees from Alabama, Arkansas, Atlanta, Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.  Training and services will be made available to additional CCE employees in 2005 and beyond, including training managers to mediate employment disputes in St. Louis, MO in September 2005.

For more information about the CCE Solutions ADR program and MWI's services and training, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
 

July 2005

General Motors Corporation (GM) has selected Mediation Works Incorporated to provide mediation and arbitration services to the General Motors Corporation’s national GM Dealer Alternate Dispute Resolution Process starting July 1, 2005.  GM is in its 15th year of using alternate dispute resolution to resolve contractual conflicts between GM Dealers and GM.  GM’s unique ADR process involves a three person mediation panel consisting of an experienced MWI mediator and a GM Dealer and a GM Management person trained in mediation.  MWI’s qualified mediators and arbitrators have experience in the resolution of automotive-franchise disputes from working with MWI clients such as BMW and Rolls-Royce.  The parties benefit from the combination of an experienced process person from MWI and two business persons, who perform the day-to-day tasks of running a dealership according to the guidelines set out in the agreement between the dealer and GM. MWI will be the sole provider of ADR services to all divisions of GM including Chevrolet, Pontiac, Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Oldsmobile, Hummer, Saab as well as to the Saturn Corporation.

For more information, please contact Nancy Connelly, Manager of Commercial Mediation and Arbitration Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-894-8323.
 

June 2005

MWI is proud to announce that Tad Mayer has joined Mediation Works Incorporated as MWI's new Associate Director of Mediation Services.  Information about Tad and his role at MWI can be found below:

Tad Mayer supervises MWI’s panel of over 80 mediators who mediate cases referred by the District and Juvenile Court Departments. As a mediator, Tad mediated over 70 cases last year including a variety of business, family and housing disputes. In addition, Tad facilitates strategic planning meetings and has provided coaching at dispute resolution trainings sponsored by Mediation Works Incorporated, Boston College Law School and Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, LLP. Tad has applied his over 15 years of experience in marketing and business strategy to his work in mediation and facilitation. Prior to working as a marketing consultant, he worked for Sheraton Hotels, Northwest Airlines and DDB Worldwide. Tad has an MBA from Tuck at Dartmouth College, a BS in Communication from Northwestern University, and completed specializations in Negotiation, Dispute Resolution, and Mediation at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. Tad is a member of the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution (NE-ACR) and is co-chair of NE-ACR's 2005 Regional ADR Conference.  Tad can be reached at tmayer@mwi.org or at 617-973-9739 x26.

For more information about MWI, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
 

May 2005

MWI Mediator and Executive Director, Charles Doran, led a seminar with David Hoffman and Melissa Manwaring in April entitled "Breakthrough Negotiation Techniques" at Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) in Boston. 

Over forty attorneys from across Massachusetts participated in an interactive program focusing on dealing with difficult negotiators, ethics and breaking stalemates.

For more information about MWI's negotiation skills workshops, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x22.
 

April 2005

This month's featured mediator - Elizabeth Neumeier.  Mediation Works Incorporated is proud to offer the industry's finest dispute resolution professionals to businesses, universities and individuals.  MWI will feature MWI's mediators and arbitrators throughout the year for your reference.  Should you have questions or would like additional information, please contact us at mwi@mwi.org.

• Elizabeth Neumeier has been a full-time practitioner in the field of dispute resolution since 1983. Her primary focus is the arbitration of labor-management disputes and she has decided more than 2000 cases in a wide variety of industries and for municipal, state and federal agencies. Ms. Neumeier served for ten years as an arbitrator for United States Steel Corporation and the United Steelworks of America in Pittsburgh, PA. She handled every kind of employment issue for a variety of industries. Ms. Neumeier is on the panel of the American Arbitration Association, the National Mediation Board, the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the MA Board of Conciliation and Arbitration, the NH Public Employee Labor Relations Board, the North America Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAFTA) and the U.S. District Court, District of MA, ADR Program. Ms. Neumeier served as an Attorney-Advisor, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal Labor Relations Authority, Washington, D.C. and Member, Presidential Emergency Board No. 225. She has served as a permanent member of many alternative dispute resolution panels for specific industries and companies, including: ME State Employees Association and the State of ME Judicial Department, Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association, National Hockey League and National Hockey League Players Association, Port Authority of Allegheny County and Amalgamated Transit Union, Local No. 85, LTV Steel and United Steelworkers of America. Further, Ms. Neumeier is a member of several professional associations including the Association for Conflict Resolution, the Industrial Relations Research Association, the National Academy of Arbitrators and the MA and Boston Bar Associations and she served as President of the Society of Professionals in Dispute Resolution, 1991-92. Ms. Neumeier received a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from New York University and a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law.

March 2005

BMW of North America ('BMW NA') is extending its relationship with Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) as the provider of ADR services to 2008.  The arrangement for mediation services in contractual disputes between BMW NA and BMW NA Dealers extends to the BMW Passenger Car, the Mini, the Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and the BMW Motorcycle Divisions. The process for alternative dispute resolution also includes Rolls-Royce Motor Car LLC, NA.

The BMW NA/Dealer Alternate Dispute Resolution Process utilizes a panel consisting of a Professional Mediator from MWI, a BMW NA Dealer trained as mediator and a BMW NA Management Personnel trained as mediator. The parties are given short biographical statements on five of each type mediator and return the rank-ordered lists to the MWI Program Manager. The highest ranking dealer and management mediators who are screened for conflict comprise the mediation panel, along with a professional mediator from MWI who serves as the Independent Facilitator.

Mediation is available for any disputed issue stemming from the contract between the parties. There is no settlement unless the parties agree to settle, and they have given up none of their rights to proceed before a state motor vehicle board or other venue if the matter is not resolved. It is not unusual for an initiating party to file with a state board while simultaneously pursuing mediation. The state venue is put on hold pending the outcome of the mediation.

The parties benefit from subject-matter 'experts', men and women in the field, and a professional who keeps the parties focused on the process of dispute resolution. The goal is to maintain, if not enhance, dealer relations through mediation. To assist the parties in reaching their settlement goals, MWI retains a roster of premier automotive-franchise mediators.

For more information, please contact Nancy Connelly, Manager of Commercial Mediation Services at nconnelly@mwi.org or 800-348-4888 x24.
 

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

February 2005

MWI's Executive Director and Mediator, Chuck Doran, spoke at the New England Human Resource Association (NEHRA) breakfast meeting in February on the topic of "From Escalation to Resolution: Tools and Techniques for Managing and Resolving Sticky Conversations."  Here is an overview of the program:

How much of your day is spent handling "sticky conversations" or dealing with conflict? 50%? 85% 100%? More and more, managers and HR professionals are asked to deal with stressful situations and people issues on a daily basis. Dealing with sticky conversations takes skill and may lead to escalation or even litigation if not managed effectively.

Join us to hear about proven tools and techniques to improve your capacity to work through sticky conversations and to create win-win outcomes. We'll focus on:

• The importance of preparation and increasing your ability to diagnose and engage in tough conversations effectively
• How to shift from arguing to inquiring and from blame to contribution
• The value and mitigating power of listening
• Separating the process from the substantive outcome
• Support options when things get too sticky

You will be encouraged to apply the concepts to real-life personal and professional scenarios and plan a strategy to address those issues in the future. This meeting will be interactive, fun, and applicable to HR issues.

Please visit www.nehra.org to review information about NEHRA.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

January 2005 

Mediation Works Incorporated is proud to offer the industry's finest dispute resolution professionals to businesses, universities and individuals.  MWI will feature MWI's mediators and arbitrators throughout the year for your reference.  Should you have questions or would like additional information, please contact us at mwi@mwi.org.

• William Baten - A mediator since 1987, Mr. Baten has participated in over 1500 mediations and arbitrations. Currently serving as mediator to the most complex and expensive public works project ever undertaken, the ‘Big Dig’ in Boston, Mr. Baten’s extensive experience in resolving commercial franchise issues includes encroachment, resale of vehicles in Canada and overseas, abuses of employee purchase programs, cases involving necessary third parties, gender discrimination, termination, realignment of brands and audit issues.
  
  Mr. Baten recently successfully resolved a multi-plaintiff franchise surcharge dispute with a major foreign auto manufacturer and a alleged breach of contract with a franchisee dealer of another major foreign auto manufacturer through Mediation Works Incorporated.
  
  As evidenced by remarks of parties and counsel in his cases, "...Bill's facilitation skills are superb", "He is interested in getting all the facts, but he keeps the focus on a higher level", "Bill knew exactly when to separate the parties, when to reel people in as they went afield", "Bill is fantastic - there was much emotion and Bill let the parties vent, then he got both sides to agree that they needed to be made whole and they settled down", "...his communication skills are the best I've experienced", "...very professional from start to finish".
  
  Mr. Baten serves as Vice-Chairman of the Mediation Committee of the ABA's Section of Dispute Resolution since his appointment in 1994. Further, he served as an industry advisor to the Uniform Law Commissioners’ projects to revise the Uniform Arbitration Act and to create a Uniform Mediation Act. Mr. Baten also serves as a trainer in ADR techniques for the U.S. Justice Department.
   

Please visit www.mwi.org/about/people.htm to review information about MWI's panel members.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

December 2004 

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) conducted a four-day mediation training program for a cross section of Coca-Cola Enterprises employees.  MWI is working with Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) to build the capacity of CCE to resolve disputes effectively and efficiently in the workplace.  Twenty-five CCE employees from across the country and from a variety of departments met in New Orleans in November and December 2004 to learn the skills necessary to provide mediation services internally at CCE. 

To date, over 100 CCE employees have participated in five four-day mediation training programs conducted by Mediation Works Incorporated.  Please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22 for more information.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

November 2004 

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) provided mediation training to the deans, senior staff and others from the Southern New England School of Law (SNESL) and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in October and November 2004.

This is the second time that MWI has provided five-days of customized training to prepare participants to effectively facilitate the mediation process.  The goal of the program is to prepare the participants to become effective mediators and work with MWI to provide mediation services to individuals, communities and businesses in Southeastern Massachusetts.  For more information, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

October 2004

The Boston Business Journal (BBJ) ranked Mediation Works Incorporated #7 in the BBJ's listing of the top 25 ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) firms in Massachusetts. In addition, the Boston Business Journal reported the following trend:

"Biggest gainers in ADR cases - JAMS had the largest 1-year increase in Mass. ADR cases, going from 488 in 2002 to 581 in 2003, an increase of 19.6%. Mediation Works Inc. was second, going from 598 cases in 2002 to 696 in 2003, an increase of 16.4%..."
 

For more information about MWI's dispute resolution services and training programs, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.
 

September 2004

• Mediation Works Incorporated receives funds from the Massachusetts Bar foundation in support of MWI's Public Service Initatives to help income-eligible clients resolve conflict effectively and efficiently. In addition to providing dispute resolution services and training to corporate, institutional and individual clients, Mediation Works Incorporated is dedicated to providing the same high-quality services to low-income families and individuals in Massachusetts. MWI's Public Service Initiatives includes MWI’s Family Mediation Program, which provides mediation services to families experiencing serious conflict between adolescents and their parent(s) or guardian(s). Through mediation, at-risk adolescents and their families learn how to communicate with each other and reach agreements on how to handle future conflicts. MWI's Eviction Mediation Program helps landlords and tenants reach mutually beneficial solutions to challenging housing disputes in District Court each week.
  
  For information about the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, please visit www.massbarfoundation.org. Information about MWI's Public Service Initiatives can be found by clicking here. Please contact Josh Hoch, Director of Mediation Services at jhoch@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x23 with questions.
  
   
• Mediation Works Incorporated mediated an automotive franchise matter filed by an international automotive manufacturer for alleged fraudulent reporting.  The matter was deemed closed by the franchisee relying on lack of activity, the law and on a memo forgiving reporting errors.  The franchisee saw this as a single issue executive problem that was easily resolved.  After nine months of see-sawing, parties met for mediation. The franchisee learned much about his business practices that were not up to standards required by the franchisor. He also learned how tenuous the business relationship had become. Ten hours later, the monetary claims of both sides were dropped and the parties reached a settlement that met everyone’s interest: the business relationship was repaired.
  
  Comments from both the manufacturer and franchisee included:
  
  "It was far better to mediate rather than litigate this case."
  "Lots of ups and downs: at times, we weren’t confident anything could be resolved."
  "The mediation process is excellent: no other venue could have produced this result."
  
  Please contact Nancy Connelly, Manager of Commercial Mediation at nconnelly@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x24 with questions.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

August 2004

Mediation Works Incorporated's Mediation Training Programs have been recognized and endorsed by the University of Oxford's Graduate Theological Foundation's Doctor of Mediation Program.  This affiliation allows Graduate Theological Foundation doctoral students the opportunity to attend MWI Mediation Training Programs for the earning of the required components of the degree of Doctor of Mediation from the Foundation.  Doctor of Mediation (D.Med.) in mediation and pastoral care is a terminal degree program designed for ministry professionals involved in mediation within the arenas of the courts, hospital administration, educational systems, ecclesiastical institutions, and marriage and family practice. Three one-week residencies leading to certifications in relevant components of mediation and two additional one-week tutorials from Foundation faculty plus the submitting of a doctoral project based on case studies in the field are required for this degree.  Information about the Graduate Theological Foundation can be found at www.gtfeducation.org.

For more information, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

July 2004

Beginning in July, Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) will work closely with Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) to roll out CCE's new company-wide ADR program at facilities throughout the country.  MWI will provide CCE with a corporate training team focused on educating over 10,000 managers and employees about the benefits of CCE's ADR program and prepare these employees to resolve conflicts effectively on their own.  The national roll-out will begin in North Texas, move to the Gulf States and into the Mid-West.

For more information, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

June 2004

MWI's Charles Doran leads an "Effective Negotiation Skills Seminar" for nonprofit executive directors, board members and management staff who would like to learn how to transform conflicts into problem-solving negotiations.  For more information, please visit:

http://www.jrimap.org/workshop_negotiation.html

The Management Assistance Program (MAP) is a community capacity building program that provides management and organizational consultation and technical assistance to non-profit community-based organizations funded by the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. The goal of MAP is to support the long term stability and viability of these organizations with an array of management support services which will enhance their capacity to most effectively serve the needs of their communities. Additional information and resources can be found at the website www.jrimap.org.  MAP's dynamic, learner-centered training approach directly increases the effectiveness of nonprofit managers. Unlike other trainings, MAP's innovative, hands-on workshop model helps managers to bridge the gap between concept and application. Throughout the course of the workshop, participants are provided with ongoing opportunities to immediately and purposefully implement the knowledge and skills they have gained from the workshop to real-life, real-time situations within their own organizations.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

May 2004 

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) is providing mediation training to the deans, senior staff and others from the Southern New England School of Law and the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in April and May 2004.

This five-day customized program is designed to prepare participants to effectively facilitate the mediation process and explores all aspects of mediation through lectures, demonstrations, interactive exercises, supervised role-plays and group discussions.  The goal of the program is to prepare the participants to become effective mediators and work with MWI to provide mediation services to individuals, communities and businesses in Southeastern Massachusetts.

For more information, please contact Charles Doran, Executive Director at cdoran@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x22.

Click here to return to the top of the page. 

April 2004 

Mediation Works Incorporated provides mediation services to BMW of North America and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, LLC for franchised business and dealer/distributor issues.

Mediation Works Incorporated (MWI) offers a full array of ADR services to commercial clients. MWI’s Commercial ADR Manager, Nancy Connelly brings more than eight years experience in tailored ADR process design and fulfillment, ADR contract clause language, training and case administration for major automotive and restaurant systems.

MWI's panel of top qualified national professional mediators assist in the resolution of business–to-business issues. Currently focusing on franchised business and dealer/distributor issues, MWI is providing mediation services to BMW of North America and Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, LLC, NA.
For more information, please contact Nancy A. Connelly, Manager for Commercial Alternative Dispute Resolution at nconnelly@mwi.org or 617-973-9739 x24.

Click here to return to the top of the page.