The Ombuds: An Independent and Confidential Resource for NLG Chapters, Members, and Staff [DRAFT]
Private. Confidential. Effective.
The term “ombuds” (pronounced “ahm–buhds”) comes from a Swedish term meaning “a person who has an ear to the people.”
NLG has two ombuds (Nnena Odim and Michael Stephens, see bios below) who are available to work with members, governing bodies, staff, and membership bodies to surface and resolve work-related issues. The ombuds are an independent, neutral, confidential and informal resource for NLG. The ombuds supplements but does not replace NLG’s formal administrative channels at NLG.
Here are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the ombuds function:
- What does an ombuds do?
- What does an ombuds not do?
- Who can use the ombuds service?
- What types of concerns are brought to the ombuds?
- What happens when you contact the ombuds?
- What might I gain by contacting the ombuds?
- What authority does the ombuds have?
- What happens to information provided to the ombuds?
- Should I contact the ombuds to give notice to NLG?
- How does the ombuds remain neutral?
- Will the ombuds participate in formal meetings?
- How is the ombuds unique and different than other resources at NLG?
- Are there some things that will not be kept confidential?
- Will the ombuds talk to my attorney or testify for me or for the company if I choose to file a grievance or lawsuit?
- Can the user of the ombuds services remain anonymous?
- What if my question is not listed here?
About the Ombuds at NLG:
NLG employees should contact one of the two ombuds below to discuss options for resolution.
Nnena Odim(nnena-ombuds@mwi.org) is an ombuds, mediator, trainer, attorney, and consultant. She has been helping people resolve conflicts since 1997 and has mediated disputes involving issues such as employment, discrimination, housing, business, divorce and consumer. Nnena also designed and/or led numerous conflict management trainings for several local and national businesses and agencies, including Coca Cola Enterprises, the Boston Public Schools, and the Massachusetts Housing Authority. In addition to her mediation and conflict resolution training background, Nnena is the Director and Senior Clinical Instructor at The Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School and she provides experiential training to law students as she teaches them how to become effective and ethical attorneys. Nnena has also worked with the Harvard Mediation Program and Harvard Program on Negotiation to provide trainings for students and various community members and to supervise Harvard Law School students in their mediation and negotiation studies. Nnena has mediated personal, academic, and administrative issues between students and faculty in higher education settings and served as a coach of mediation skills for trainings at MIT, Suffolk and Boston College Law Schools, and New England School of Law. In 2013, Nnena was a Top Women in the Law award recipient from Mass. Lawyers Weekly. In 2015, she received the Harvard Law School Dean’s Award for Excellence. Contact Nnena at nnena-ombuds@mwi.org or call 862-245-2897.
Michael Stephens (michael-ombuds@mwi.org) is an experienced ombuds, mediator and coach with the goal of helping foster good working relations and a more positive culture in the organizations he serves. Michael is a member of the International Ombudsman Association, and has significant experience as an ombuds in both corporate and academic settings. Michael has a certification in Mediation from the Mediation Training Institute. Michael worked for many years as an Ombuds, as well as the manager of other Ombuds, at Merck, a multi-national pharmaceutical company. Prior to that he had many years of experience in Human Resources roles at Merck and several other companies. After retiring from Merck, he has served as ombuds for Amherst College as well as Smith College. Michael is also an experienced facilitator and workshop leader, specializing in communications skills, conflict resolution and change management. He has a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Colorado and a Masters in Business Administration from New York University. Contact Michael at michael-ombuds@mwi.org or call 413-341-6977.
Contact
- Email: Send an email to either ombuds
- Nnena: nnena-ombuds@mwi.org
- Michael: michael-ombuds@mwi.org
- Phone: (direct and confidential phone and voicemail)
- Nnena: 617-898-0938
- Michael: 413-341-6977
- Confidential web form:
- Please complete the form below. If you have a concern at work and would like to raise it in confidence, you are not required to give your name.
Due to the confidential, neutral, informal and independent nature of the ombuds function, communication with the ombuds does not constitute formal notice to the National Lawyers Guild.
