ADR program focuses on developing skills

Four alternative dispute resolution organizations will conduct a two-day conference, “Coming Together for Peace,” on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 1 and 2, at the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago.

Sponsors are the Chicago chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution, the Collaborative Law Institute of Illinois, the International Academy of Dispute Resolution, and the Mediation Council of Illinois.

The skills development programs are designed for ADR professionals, attorneys, mental health providers, corporate executives, students and anybody who promotes or practices alternative methods of resolving disputes in a court, community, school or corporate setting.

For information and registration details, contact Laura at (312) 882-8000 or by e-mail to admin@collablawil.org.

Keynote speakers include Chicago attorney Joel Daly, whose presentation at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 1 is titled “The Sunset of my Career in Journalism and the Sunrise on Mediation and Law.” A former television news anchor, Daly is a faculty member at The John Marshall Law School.

Other speakers are attorney Ken Cloke, “The Politics of Conflict and the Conflict of Politics” at 8:30 a.m. Dec. 2, and Juan Ortiz, “Life Is Full of Changes; Deal with It!” during the closing session at 11:45 a.m. Dec. 2.

ISBA past president Fred Lane, a founder of the ISBA Trial Techniques Institute, will discuss “The Peacemaker Mediator” at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 1.

H, Case Ellis, a member of the ISBA Board of Governors and liaison to the Alternative Dispute Resolution Section Council, will be moderator for the panel, “A Neutral's View of the World of Civil Mediation and Arbitration,” at 12:45 p.m. Dec. 1.

Panelists are retired judge Harris H. Agnew and David Scott Carfello of the section council, Fred Lane, Jack Cooley, Tom Gibbons and retired judge Benjamin Mackoff.

A judicial panel on “The Impact of ADR on the Court System” at 3 p.m. Dec. 1 includes Judge Allen Goldberg of the ADR Section Council.

Other panelists are Judges Robert Ander-son, Michael Caldwell, Gordon Graham, Nancy Katz and Margaret Mullen, and re-tired judge Richard Neville.