The Mediate.com Podcast

Modernizing Mediation, with Morgan Tregenza of Levelheaded (Ep. 49)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews Morgan Duffy Tregenza (Mo), Founder and CEO of Levelheaded, about her path into the field and her vision for https://www.belevelheaded.com/, a startup mediation service provider in Colorado.
Mo is working hard to turn Levelheaded into the world’s most easy-to-use and prolific mediation platform. Levelheaded's mission is to make the world a less litigious place. She currently serves as the President of the Mediation Association of Colorado where she helps to make mediation readily available in the State of Colorado. She often testifies in the Legislature in advocating for mediation as an accessible and viable option for resolving disputes. Prior to starting levelheaded, Mo ran her own mediation practice.  She's written children's books and designed, developed and launched a photobook app for busy families. 
Learn more about Mo here: https://coloradomediation.org/mediator/court-mediation-services/
Learn about Levelheaded here: https://www.belevelheaded.com/

Family Mediation and Intimate Partner Violence, with Prof. Kelly Browe Olson (Ep. 48)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews Professor Kelly Browe Olson about her chapter in the new book (that she also co-edited) entitled Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice. Kelly's chapter is titled "Intimate Partner Violence and Family Dispute Resolution: Coercion, Capacity, and Control" and it covers the dialogue between victim advocates and family mediators over the past few decades, the importance of screening (not only at the beginning but throughout the mediation process), and issues in the future as mediation moves more online.
This podcast is part of a continuing series interviewing authors from Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice.
About the book:
"Over the last 50 years family justice systems in the United States and elsewhere have evolved from a predominant adversarial approach focused on litigation to the significant integration of more collaborative, settlement-oriented approaches, especially mediation. In Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice some of the field's leading practitioners, researchers, teachers, and policymakers provide an overview of the modern family dispute resolution processes designed to help separating and divorcing parents make decisions about the future of their families.Chapters in this book address the growth of divorce mediation and other specialized processes including parenting coordination, arbitration, child-inclusive mediation, and online dispute resolution. They describe how to work with families experiencing issues including domestic violence, high conflict, substance misuse, and the lack of legal representation. Case management initiatives and special issues, including social science research and conflicting standards of practice, are also explored.Family Dispute Resolution provides a wide-ranging look at contemporary family dispute resolution processes and is essential reading for everyone interested in learning more about working with separating and divorcing families, including professionals, and law and graduate students."
Buy it here: 
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/family-dispute-resolution-9780197545904
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Dispute-Resolution-Handbook/dp/0197545904

Training an AI on Yourself, with Prof. John Lande (Ep. 46)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews Emeritus Professor from the University of Missouri School of Law John Lande about his experience creating an AI (PrivateGPT) trained on all of his writing over the past forty years. Starting from the beginning, when John didn't know much about AI, he narrates the experience of training an LLM (Large Language Model) on his collected writings and evolving the AI into a coach (called RPS Coach) which is now able to support different types of users (e.g. parties, lawyers, and mediators) helping them find success in their efforts to craft solutions to conflict. We chew over about what this means today, but also where this all may be headed over the longer term as AIs get more powerful and more pervasive throughout the academy and throughout our lives.
You can access RPS Coach here:
https://chatgpt.com/g/g-67bdbff0204c81919bae3f14ac7810dc-rps-negotiation-and-mediation-coach
 
Some other pieces John has written about his experiences with AI include:
A guide on using RPS coach: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5199282
RPS Coach and bias: http://indisputably.org/2025/03/rps-coach-is-biased-and-proud-of-it/
http://indisputably.org/2025/04/ai-can-help-students-learn-you-get-better-papers-and-you-know-its-theirs/
http://indisputably.org/2025/04/how-you-can-survive-grading-season-with-a-little-help-from-your-friend-rps-coach/
 
 

Family Mediation Past, Present, and Future with Bernie Mayer and Peter Salem (Ep. 46)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews dispute resolution giants Bernard Mayer and Peter Salem about the chapter they co-wrote in the new book Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice. Peter and Bernie's chapter is titled "Family Mediation" and it covers the evolution of the practice of family mediation over the past few decades and makes some predictions about its future evolution as well. Our conversation takes a wide sweep over the evolution of the field, and even gets into some of the ways recent political changes might affect it moving forward.
This podcast is part of a continuing series interviewing authors from Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice.
About the book:
"Over the last 50 years family justice systems in the United States and elsewhere have evolved from a predominant adversarial approach focused on litigation to the significant integration of more collaborative, settlement-oriented approaches, especially mediation. In Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice some of the field's leading practitioners, researchers, teachers, and policymakers provide an overview of the modern family dispute resolution processes designed to help separating and divorcing parents make decisions about the future of their families.Chapters in this book address the growth of divorce mediation and other specialized processes including parenting coordination, arbitration, child-inclusive mediation, and online dispute resolution. They describe how to work with families experiencing issues including domestic violence, high conflict, substance misuse, and the lack of legal representation. Case management initiatives and special issues, including social science research and conflicting standards of practice, are also explored.Family Dispute Resolution provides a wide-ranging look at contemporary family dispute resolution processes and is essential reading for everyone interested in learning more about working with separating and divorcing families, including professionals, and law and graduate students."
Buy it here: 
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/family-dispute-resolution-9780197545904
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Dispute-Resolution-Handbook/dp/0197545904
 

Implementing ODR in Family Courts with Jennifer Shack (Ep. 45)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews Jennifer Shack, Director of Research at RSI, about the chapter she co-wrote with Donna Shestowsky in the new book Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice. Jen and Donna's chapter is titled "Implementing ODR in Family Court: Insights from the First Neutral Program Evaluation in the United States" and it shares conclusions from the first neutral evaluation of a family court ODR implementation in the US.
This podcast is part of a continuing series interviewing authors from Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice.
About the book:
"Over the last 50 years family justice systems in the United States and elsewhere have evolved from a predominant adversarial approach focused on litigation to the significant integration of more collaborative, settlement-oriented approaches, especially mediation. In Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice some of the field's leading practitioners, researchers, teachers, and policymakers provide an overview of the modern family dispute resolution processes designed to help separating and divorcing parents make decisions about the future of their families.Chapters in this book address the growth of divorce mediation and other specialized processes including parenting coordination, arbitration, child-inclusive mediation, and online dispute resolution. They describe how to work with families experiencing issues including domestic violence, high conflict, substance misuse, and the lack of legal representation. Case management initiatives and special issues, including social science research and conflicting standards of practice, are also explored.Family Dispute Resolution provides a wide-ranging look at contemporary family dispute resolution processes and is essential reading for everyone interested in learning more about working with separating and divorcing families, including professionals, and law and graduate students."
Buy it here: 
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/family-dispute-resolution-9780197545904
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Dispute-Resolution-Handbook/dp/0197545904

Unbundling Legal Services for Family Disputes with Woody Mosten (Ep. 44)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews Forrest (Woody) Mosten about his chapter in the new book Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice. Woody's chapter is titled "Limited Scope Representation: An Important Tool and Peacemaking Catalyst for Family Dispute Resolution" and it examines unbundling and limited scope representation models for family cases.
This podcast is part of a continuing series interviewing authors from Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice.
About the book:
"Over the last 50 years family justice systems in the United States and elsewhere have evolved from a predominant adversarial approach focused on litigation to the significant integration of more collaborative, settlement-oriented approaches, especially mediation. In Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice some of the field's leading practitioners, researchers, teachers, and policymakers provide an overview of the modern family dispute resolution processes designed to help separating and divorcing parents make decisions about the future of their families.Chapters in this book address the growth of divorce mediation and other specialized processes including parenting coordination, arbitration, child-inclusive mediation, and online dispute resolution. They describe how to work with families experiencing issues including domestic violence, high conflict, substance misuse, and the lack of legal representation. Case management initiatives and special issues, including social science research and conflicting standards of practice, are also explored.Family Dispute Resolution provides a wide-ranging look at contemporary family dispute resolution processes and is essential reading for everyone interested in learning more about working with separating and divorcing families, including professionals, and law and graduate students."
Buy it here: 
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/family-dispute-resolution-9780197545904
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Dispute-Resolution-Handbook/dp/0197545904

Early Negotiation Processes for Family Disputes with Prof. John Lande (Ep. 43)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews Professor John Lande about his chapter in the new book Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice. John's chapter is titled "Early Negotiation Processes" and it examines techniques like collaborative law, cooperative law, and settlement counsel.
This podcast is part of a continuing series interviewing authors from Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice.
About the book:
"Over the last 50 years family justice systems in the United States and elsewhere have evolved from a predominant adversarial approach focused on litigation to the significant integration of more collaborative, settlement-oriented approaches, especially mediation. In Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice some of the field's leading practitioners, researchers, teachers, and policymakers provide an overview of the modern family dispute resolution processes designed to help separating and divorcing parents make decisions about the future of their families.Chapters in this book address the growth of divorce mediation and other specialized processes including parenting coordination, arbitration, child-inclusive mediation, and online dispute resolution. They describe how to work with families experiencing issues including domestic violence, high conflict, substance misuse, and the lack of legal representation. Case management initiatives and special issues, including social science research and conflicting standards of practice, are also explored.Family Dispute Resolution provides a wide-ranging look at contemporary family dispute resolution processes and is essential reading for everyone interested in learning more about working with separating and divorcing families, including professionals, and law and graduate students."
Buy it here: 
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/family-dispute-resolution-9780197545904
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Dispute-Resolution-Handbook/dp/0197545904

ABA Standard 206 Revision on Diversity in Law Schools, with Ben Davis and Chuck Crumpton (Ep. 43)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews dispute resolution legends Ben Davis and Charles Crumpton on proposed revisions of the legal education standard 206 dealing with diversity in law schools.
For more information on this proposed revision, see mediate.com/standard-206
About Ben:
https://www.utoledo.edu/law/faculty/emeriti/davis-ben.html
About Chuck:
https://crumptoncollaborativesolutions.com/about-chuck/

Family Dispute Resolution with Peter Salem and Kelly Browe Olson (Ep. 42)

In this episode, Colin Rule interviews Peter Salem and Kelly Browe Olson about their new book Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice. This is the kickoff interview for a full series of interviews with the more than 30 authors who wrote chapters for the book.
 
About the book:
"Over the last 50 years family justice systems in the United States and elsewhere have evolved from a predominant adversarial approach focused on litigation to the significant integration of more collaborative, settlement-oriented approaches, especially mediation. In Family Dispute Resolution: Process and Practice some of the field's leading practitioners, researchers, teachers, and policymakers provide an overview of the modern family dispute resolution processes designed to help separating and divorcing parents make decisions about the future of their families.Chapters in this book address the growth of divorce mediation and other specialized processes including parenting coordination, arbitration, child-inclusive mediation, and online dispute resolution. They describe how to work with families experiencing issues including domestic violence, high conflict, substance misuse, and the lack of legal representation. Case management initiatives and special issues, including social science research and conflicting standards of practice, are also explored.Family Dispute Resolution provides a wide-ranging look at contemporary family dispute resolution processes and is essential reading for everyone interested in learning more about working with separating and divorcing families, including professionals, and law and graduate students."
Buy it here: 
https://global.oup.com/academic/product/family-dispute-resolution-9780197545904
https://www.amazon.com/Family-Dispute-Resolution-Handbook/dp/0197545904
 

Discussion between Bridget McCormick (CEO, AAA/ICDR) and Colin Rule (CEO, Mediate.com)

In this episode, Colin Rule (CEO of Mediate.com) speaks with Bridget McCormick, the CEO of the American Arbitration Association/International Centre for Dispute Resolution (AAA/ICDR), about the path that led her from being a public defender in NYC, to a law professor in Michigan, to the Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, and now CEO of AAA/ICDR. They discuss her work in mediation and dispute resolution, how Bridget has updated AAA/ICDR's strategy to embrace mediation and expand access to justice, and the role of technology in the future of the ADR field.
Learn More:
https://adr.org/
https://www.lawnext.com/2024/05/american-arbitration-association-acquires-odr-com-and-mediate-com-to-expand-online-dispute-resolution.html
https://mediate.com/the-mediate-com-aaa-partnership/
About Bridget McCormick:
Bridget Mary McCormack is President and CEO of the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution.
She is also a Strategic Advisor to the Future of the Profession Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School. Until the end of 2022, McCormack was Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, a position her peers selected her for in January 2019 after she served for six years as a Justice. While on the Court, she championed innovation and the use of technology to improve access to justice.
A graduate of New York University Law School, McCormack started her legal career in New York City. In 1996, she joined the Yale Law School faculty. She then joined the University of Michigan Law School faculty in 1998, where she taught criminal law, legal ethics, and numerous clinics. She was Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs from 2002 until 2012.
McCormack was elected to The American Law Institute in 2013. The Attorney General of the United States appointed her to the National Commission on Forensic Science in 2014. In 2019, the Governor of Michigan named her Co-Chair of the Michigan Joint Task Force on Jail and Pretrial Incarceration. In 2020, she joined the American Bar Association’s Council on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar and currently serves as Vice Chair. In 2021, the Governor of Michigan asked her to co-chair the Michigan Task Force on Forensic Science and to chair the Michigan Jail Reform Advisory Council. She also chaired the Michigan Judicial Council, the strategic planning body for the judicial branch. In 2021, McCormack was also appointed to serve nationally on The Council of State Governments Healthy States National Task Force and the ABA Center for Innovation’s Governing Council. She was also named Chair of the ABA Board of Elections.
McCormack is an Editor of the ABA’s preeminent publication, Litigation Journal. She speaks and writes frequently about access to justice, innovation in the legal profession, and legal education.