The Mediate.com Podcast

What Mediators Should Know About Communication in Latin American Culture and How AI Impacts Dispute Resolution with Luis Gómez [Ep. 35]

As a mediator, are you aware of the key characteristics of communication in Latin American culture? Are you curious about whether AI will replace human dispute resolvers? Listen to this episode as Veronica chats with guest, Luis Gómez, who is both a Colombian mediator and a research lecturer who teaches negotiation strategy and artificial intelligence applied to dispute system design--about these topics.  Episode highlights include a discussion of the following:
 
Mediation vs. Conciliation in Colombia
The recent Colombian law regarding conciliation
Key characteristics of communication in Latin culture that are important for neutrals to know
What is AI?
Will AI replace human dispute resolution practitioners?
Link to related episode:
 
Online Conciliation in Colombia with Nicolás Lozada [Ep. 31]
 
About Luis:
 
Luis Gómez is an international business lawyer expert in conflict resolution, graduate of the University Externado of Colombia Law School (JD equivalent) and with a diploma program in financial law from the University del Rosario. He also holds a master in International Business and Management from the University of Westminster in London, an executive course in Successful Negotiation Strategy, University of Cambridge, after which he worked as part of Motorola´s legal team in the United Kingdom. 
 
Recently, he took the Negotiation Research and Teaching certificate offered by the Dispute Resolution Research Center at Northwestern University, Chicago, and Phd research stance at the Gould Center for Conflict Resolution, Stanford University.
Currently, Luis is a mediator at the Chamber of Commerce of Bogotá and research lecturer at the Business Law Department, University Externado of Colombia, teaching negotiation strategy and artificial intelligence applied to dispute system design, among other subjects; and member of the Committee of Commercial Practices CCI. He is in charge of the Master of International Business Law and the Diploma in Legal Innovation, and author of the book: International Negotiation – Strategic Approach.
 
Connect with Luis: LUIS.GOMEZ01@uexternado.edu.co
 
Connect with Veronica Cravener on LinkedIn

Can the Mediation Community Be Responsive To Changing Consumer Trends? With Linda Heng [Ep. 34]

"Let's speak to a mediator." Wouldn't it be great if parties in a dispute said that to one another as their initial reaction to conflict? In this episode, Veronica chats with Linda Heng--CEO of ResoX--about the following topics:
Examples of changing consumer behavior trends outside of dispute resolution
How has the media shaped our perspective of what dispute resolution looks like?
Is there public awareness of the availability of mediation?
How do people in conflict want to interact with one another?
Pros and cons of ODR
What can mediators do to learn about consumer needs as it relates to dispute resolution?
 
About Linda:
Linda Heng is the CEO of ResoX. Linda has been passionate about dispute resolution since 2004.
Despite being told in the early years that she could “never be a mediator as mediators are mostly senior professionals” due to youth and lack of legal training, she persevered in honing her skills and building her professional reputation. In the past 18 years since, she has attained accreditation with many reputable mediation centres, received awards for her contributions to mediation in Singapore and actively engaged stakeholders around the world.
Linda considers it a privilege to have worked with many intelligent, kind and passionate lawyers, mediators, arbitrators and conflict coaches, who are skilled in amicable dispute resolution. ResoX is thus an attempt to meet the needs of a world that has gone through a traumatic shared experience in the last 2 – 3 years. By leveraging on technology and how it has shaped consumer behaviour, Linda hopes to connect disputants with professionals who will guide them towards cost-effective resolutions.
Linda is trained and accredited in psychology and mediation by Regents University London.
 
ResoX website
 
Connect with Linda Heng on LinkedIn
 
Connect with Veronica Cravener on LinkedIn

What Mediators Should Know About the Business Development Side of Adding Conflict Management Coaching as a Service with Cinnie Noble [Ep. 33]

As a mediator, do you offer a bundle of services? Have you ever considered adding conflict management coaching as a service in addition to your current services (e.g. mediation and mediation training)? Guest, Cinnie Noble--founder of CINERGY® Coaching--comes back on the show to chat with Veronica about the business development side of adding conflict management coaching as a service.  Episode highlights include a discussion of the following:
Who are clients that seek conflict management coaching?
What skills are needed in order to get clients as a conflict management coach?
How do conflict management coaches charge for their services?
What are some ways to introduce conflict management coaching as an additional service?
For an introduction to conflict management coaching, check out Cinnie's first appearance on the podcast: What Mediators Should Know About Conflict Management Coaching with Cinnie Noble [Ep. 14]
 
About Cinnie:
Cinnie Noble is the founder of CINERGY® Coaching, a division of Noble Solutions Inc. A former social worker and lawyer, Cinnie is a Chartered Mediator (C.Med) and coach (PCC) who has studied and practised a range of conflict management services for over 20 years.
Connect with Cinnie:
https://cinergycoaching.com/
Connect with Veronica:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/veronicacravener/
https://www.mediate2achieve.com/
 
 

Understanding Human Dignity to Resolve Conflict in Organizations with Camilo Azcarate [Ep. 32]

Perhaps you are familiar with the concept of "psychological safety", but are you also familiar with the concept of "human dignity"? In this episode, host, Veronica Cravener, talks with guest, Camilo Azcarate, about this important topic. Camilo is the current Ombuds at the European Southern Observatory and an international dispute resolution expert with over 25 years of experience as ombuds, mediator, facilitator, and trainer. 
 
Episode highlights include a discussion of the following questions:
What is "human dignity"?
What does indignity look like in organizations?
Why should mediators be familiar with the teachings related to "human dignity"?
How do the mediation skills of "active listening" and "paraphrasing" help support human dignity?
Link to related episode:
An Introduction to the Ombuds Role for Mediators with Chuck Doran
 
About Camilo Azcarate:
 
Camilo Azcarate is an international dispute resolution expert with over 25 years of experience as ombuds, mediator, facilitator and trainer working for public, private and international organizations. He is the current Ombuds at the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Previously, he managed the office of employment mediation services for the World Bank Group and was lead ombuds at Princeton University. Camilo teaches graduate-level courses at Columbia University since 2005 and was a fellow at Harvard University’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs. He holds a Juris Doctor (JD) a Masters in Corporate Law (LLM) and a Masters in Dispute Resolution (MA), the latter from the University of Massachusetts as well as a Certificate in Equal Employment from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University.
 
Connect with Camilo:
camilo.azcarate@columbia.edu
camilo.azcarate@eso.org
 
Connect with Host, Veronica Cravener

Online Conciliation in Colombia with Nicolás Lozada [Ep. 31]

Did you know that when given the option between in-person conciliation and online conciliation, most people in Colombia now prefer to use online conciliation? In this episode, Veronica talks with Nicolás Lozada, CEO of Redek--the first Colombian Digital Justice and Online Dispute Resolution startup--about online conciliation in Colombia.  Episode highlights include a discussion of the following:
mediation versus conciliation in Colombia
the "conciliation culture" in Colombia
the recent Colombian law which adopted online procedures
what online conciliation currently looks like in Colombia
 
About Nicolás:
Nicolás Lozada is CEO of Redek (the first Colombian Digital Justice and Online Dispute Resolution startup). He has also led multidisciplinary teams since 2013 and has dedicated much of his career to promoting his passion for digital and algorithmic justice. On these topics, he has written several academic articles and given numerous lectures in four continents, including a Ted Talk.
Nicolás is Partner at the law firm of RINCON-CUELLAR & ASOCIADOS with presence in Colombia, El Salvador and Switzerland, heading its international trade practice. He is an advisor on corporate issues for several Colombian and foreign companies, and currently involved in domestic and international arbitration proceedings, as a counsellor, arbitrator and secretary.
Nicolás is also an Associate Professor at Universidad Externado de Colombia where he performed extensive legal research and lectured as a faculty member of one of Latin America’s leading law schools. Courses taught and fields of research include International Commercial Law, International Investment and Private Law.
Connect with Nicolás Lozada: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaslozada/

Using Caucus in Family Mediations with LaTanya Moss [Ep. 30]

There are different perspectives on the use of caucus in mediation. Maybe you use caucus early and often in your mediations or maybe you prefer joint-session and use caucus more as a tool of last resort.  In this episode, mediator LaTanya Moss chats with Veronica about reasons to use a caucus in family mediations, the logistics of managing the use of caucus with each mediation participant, and how the use of caucus can be beneficial to the mediator! 
About LaTanya:
LaTanya Moss is an experienced mediator.  She has been in the field of dispute resolution since 2004.  She has her own mediation practice called Win-Win Mediation Services. LaTanya mediates issues concerning Divorce, Child Custody, Child Support, Domestic Violence, and Family/Youth Occurrences, among other issues.   On the personal side, LaTanya is based in Columbus, OH (USA), a Mother of 2 adult kids, and is now an empty nester and is loving her new chapter of life! 
Win-Win Mediation Services, LLC 
Connect with LaTanya on LinkedIn

Mediating Employment Disputes with Tim Warner [Ep. 29]

Are you curious about mediating employment disputes?  In this episode, Tim Warner--mediator, arbitrator, and attorney--talks about how he made the switch from employment litigator to employment mediator and the unique aspects of employment mediation.  Questions answered during this episode include:
 
What is the most challenging aspect of pivoting from an employment litigator to an employment mediator?
What are the unique aspects of employment mediation and how does employment mediation differ from other types of mediation?
What style of mediation is most effective when mediating employment disputes?
Does online mediation work for employment disputes?
Tim's website
 
About Tim Warner:
 
Tim is a Mediator, an Arbitrator, and an Attorney. His ADR experience includes:
 
• Named a Fellow of the American Bar Association’s Dispute Resolution Committee.
• Serve on the American Arbitration Association panel of Mediators and Arbitrators for commercial, employment and consumer disputes.
• Serve on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio's Federal ADR Court Panel.
• Serve as a mediator at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
• Serve as an Arbitrator for the United States Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).
• Serve as a mediator and arbitrator for the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas.
• Serve as an arbitrator and mediator for the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Client Fee Dispute Resolution Committee.
• Served as an arbitrator for a major Cleveland hospital system.
Additionally, Tim has almost thirty (30) years of experience as an employment and business/commercial litigator.

Intercultural Communication and Envisioning a Culture of Peace with Lynn Cole [Ep. 28]

More and more, we are a connected world.  So when it comes to intercultural communication...Is it what you say? Or how you say it? Or both? In this episode, Veronica talks with Lynn Cole--founder and CEO of BRDGES Academy--about intercultural communication and why mediators need this skill. Episode highlights include:
How culture is defined.
A discussion of how culture influences communication and "communication norms" in various cultures.
How mediators can learn cultural aspects before a mediation.
Lynn's prior experience in speaking to the United Nations about mediation as an effective global conflict resolution tool.
And more!
About Lynn Cole:
 
Lynn Cole is President of the Law Offices of Lynn Cole, LLC. She also is the founder and CEO of BRDGES Academy (Building Resolutions for Disputes Globally with E-learning Strategies) where the global focus is on developing core intercultural competencies for conflict resolution practitioners worldwide. Having previously served as both a federal and state trial attorney, Ms. Cole has been a full-time mediator and mediation trainer who is Harvard and Florida trained in mediation. She is mediation certified in Florida (Circuit Civil) and is an interculturally designated and certified neutral for the International Mediation Institute ("IMI") in The Hague. Ms. Cole served as a USAID Mediation/ADR Specialist for over 10 years designing Court-Related Mediation Programs in Bulgaria, Kosovo, Jordan, and Sri Lanka.  For over three years and until March 1, 2014, she served as the President and Chair of the Board of Directors for Mediators Beyond Borders, International and still serves on the board. In May 2011, she spoke to the United Nations about mediation as an effective global conflict resolution tool within global communities. She is a recognized author on the explosive global growth of international mediation. She has lectured and trained extensively internationally in Commercial Mediation; Ethics; Basic and Advanced Mediation; and, Community Mediation, and has taught mediation courses domestically and internationally for students in Universities and Law Schools worldwide, and formerly as an Adjunct Professor at Stetson College of Law. Over the last 17 years, she has conducted in-person mediation training for judges, attorneys and mediators from Canada, Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia/Herzegovina, Greece, Tunisia, Cypress, Kosovo, Turkey, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.She has a full-time, private mediation practice in Florida and is listed with the U.S. Court for the Middle District of Florida and 13th Judicial Circuit as an Arbitrator and Mediator. She successfully has mediated and arbitrated many hundreds of court and pre-litigation cases in labor and employment and all types of contract and commercial cases. She is an invited member of select international organizations as an invited neutral, including the American Arbitration Association, the International Chamber of Commerce, the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, “NADN.”  She formerly has served as an Adjunct Professor and serves on the Faculty of BRDGES Academy teaching Intercultural Communications and Cultural Dimensions.
 
Email: lhc@brdgesacademy.com
BRDGES Academy website: https://brdgesacademy.com/
 

For the Forces of Good With Lucia Kanter St. Amour [Ep. 27]

Did you know that as a mediator you help parties exercise a superpower?  It's the superpower of everyday negotiation! Listen to this episode as Veronica talks with Lucia Kanter St. Amour--attorney, author, mediator, and VP of Board of UN Women San Francisco--about various topics in her #1 rated new release book on Amazon, For the Forces of Good: The Superpower of Everyday Negotiation.  Episode highlights include a discussion of the following:
What is the distinction between impartiality and neutrality?
Can one negotiate with bullies, and if so, how?
How can a mediator handle two different stories from parties in mediation?
What is interoception and why does it matter in mediation?
About Lucia:
 
A member of the Neuroleadership Institute, Lucia has specific training in behavioral science, and how real people act in real conflict situations and decision-making. She is the Founder and Principal of her firm, Pactum Factum, which specializes in negotiation and dispute resolution; and a mediate.com Certified Online Mediator.A Vice President for UN Women, Lucia has also been practicing law since 1998. Ten years of her practice included regular clinical teaching positions in Mediation, and Negotiation at UC Hastings and UC Berkeley Law. She has also been a visiting lecturer at many prominent law and business universities in the U.S. and Europe; and served for a number of years as an annual Competition Judge and Mediator for the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris, France. Just this year, she launched her own podcast “The Superpower Of Everyday Negotiation.”Her book: For the Forces of Good: The Superpower of Everyday Negotiation (praised by none other than Robert Cialdini and our very own Colin Rule of mediate.com, among many others) is a #1 rated new release book on Amazon and releases to the public on October 1, 2022.
Connect with Lucia via email
Lucia's Book
Lucia's Podcast
Lucia's previous guest appearance on the Mediate.com Podcast

Procedural Justice and Data Collection in Court-Connected Mediation with Nancy Welsh [Ep. 26]

As a mediator, you've probably come across the phrase "access to justice" when reading about or listening to discussions of mediation, but are you also familiar with the "procedural justice" aspect of mediation? And for the court-connected mediation programs that you mediate for...Do those programs collect data? In this episode, Veronica talks with Nancy Welsh--the Frank W. Elliott, Jr. University Professor, Professor of Law and Director of the Dispute Resolution Program at Texas A&M University School of Law--about both procedural justice and data collection in court-connected mediation.  Questions answered during the episode include:
What is procedural justice when it comes to mediation?
What is the connection between procedural fairness and self-determination?
What can mediators do to help parties share their voice in mediation?
How can ODR help support procedural justice in mediation?
Why is data collection important for court-connected ADR and what data should be collected?
Links to resources mentioned in the show:
 
Nancy's Faculty Profile Page
 
Aggie Dispute Resolution Program Page
 
Sampling of Nancy's Articles:
 
Do You Believe in Magic?: Self-Determination and Procedural Justice Meet Inequality in Court-Connected Mediation 
 
But Is It Good: The Need to Measure, Assess, and Report on Court-Connected ADR
 
Making Deals in Court-Connected Mediation: What's Justice Got to Do with It?
 
Bringing Transparency and Accountability (with a Dash of Competition) to Court-Connected Dispute Resolution
 
About Nancy Welsh:
 
Nancy A. Welsh is the Frank W. Elliott, Jr. University Professor, Professor of Law and Director of the Dispute Resolution Program at Texas A&M University School of Law. In 2016-2017, she was Chair of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution. 
 
Professor Welsh is a leading scholar and teacher of dispute resolution and procedural law. She examines negotiation, mediation, arbitration, judicial settlement, and dispute resolution in U.S. and international contexts, focusing on self-determination, procedural justice, due process, and institutionalization dynamics. Professor Welsh has written more than 60 articles and chapters that have appeared in law reviews, professional publications and books and is co-author of DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND LAWYERS, 5TH ED.  Additionally, she is co-editor with Howard Gadlin of EVOLUTION OF A FIELD: PERSONAL HISTORIES IN CONFLICT RESOLUTION. In 2006, she conducted research in the Netherlands as a Fulbright Scholar and taught at Tilburg University. 
In 2016, she was named a Visiting Scholar of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and a Visiting Fellow of the Institute for Advanced Study at Indiana University Bloomington.
She has advised state legislatures and federal and state agencies and courts regarding the institutionalization of dispute resolution, conducted empirical research, convened roundtables and symposia on various dispute resolution topics, and served as a mediator, facilitator and arbitrator. 
 
Professor Welsh presents nationally and internationally, conducts training, and teaches Texas A&M’s unique required course for 1Ls – ADR Survey - as well as Civil Procedure, Mediation, and Dispute System Design Seminar.