Presented by The Professional Mediation Institute (PMI)

Separate registration required.

Getting the Most out of Mediation: Tips and Tools for Everyone Interested in the Outcome

Sunday, August 19, 2018

8:00 – 9:00 am
Registration
Grand Ballroom 8A Foyer
Convention Level

9:00 – 4:15 pm
Grand Ballrooms 8A & 8B
Convention Level
(Day 2 of this program is on Monday, August 20, 2018 beginning at 8:30 am in Grand Ballrooms 8A & 8B.)

Concurrent sessions to choose from:

Welcome and Introductions
Grand Ballroom 8A
Convention Level

Robin Caral Shaw, Attorney and Mediator
Chairperson PMI
Law Office of Robin Caral Shaw, PA
Boca Raton, FL

9:00 – 10:00 am
Breakout Session 1A
Mediating with Pro Se Parties – Danger, Danger, Danger!

(1 hour general)
Grand Ballroom 8A
Convention Level

Moderator:
John P. Brooks, Attorney and State Mediator
Florida Office of Judges of Compensation Claims
Daytona, FL

Panel:
Honorable Deborah Blevins
Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission
Roanoke, VA

Honorable David Imahara
Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation
Atlanta, GA

Honorable Michael Orfinger
Seventh Judicial Circuit
Daytona Beach, FL

Joy K. Hughley
Senior Claims Manager
CCMSI
Orlando, FL

Pro se parties present problems for the mediator. The most dangerous trap is the temptation to “advise” the pro se party. The panelists will point out some pitfalls in this approach to mediation and will discuss other problems in dealing with one or more pro se parties in mediation.

Welcome and Introductions
Grand Ballroom 8B
Convention Level

Stuart F. Suskin, Attorney and Mediator
Stuart F. Suskin Mediation
Gainesville, FL

9:00 – 10:00 am
Breakout Session 1B
The Scrivener’s Role: Preparing an Enforceable Mediation Agreement

(1 hour ethics)
Grand Ballroom 8B
Convention Level
Handout

Moderator:
Honorable Robert Dietz
Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims
Sebastian, FL

Panel:
Thomas E. Glick, Attorney and Mediator
Center for Conflict Resolution
Miami, FL

Bruce A. Blitman, Attorney and Mediator
Law and Mediation Offices of Bruce A. Blitman
Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Rosanne Shore, Attorney and Mediator
Center for Conflict Resolution
Miami, FL

This panel will discuss issues related to the mediator’s role as scrivener, including Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee (MEAC) Opinions, administrative rules, the Florida rules governing mediators, and case law. It will also cover challenges to and enforcement of mediation agreements that arise when language in an agreement is challenged.

10:00 – 11:00 am
Breakout Session 2A
Woe is MEAC – Everything You Wanted to Know About MEAC Opinions But Were Afraid to Ask

(1 hour ethics)
Grand Ballroom 8A
Convention Level

Panel:
Donna Doyle, Attorney and Mediator
Mediate First, Inc.
Orlando, FL

Clem Hyland, Attorney and Mediator
Mediate First, Inc.
Orlando, FL

Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee (MEAC) Opinions address issues that arise during mediation. This audience participation hour will discuss selected MEAC Opinions and how they impact mediation participants. It will also offer a unique opportunity for others who participate in mediation to learn more about how those opinions affect the mediations you attend.

10:00 – 11:00 am
Breakout Session 2B
How Mediators Win Friends and Influence People

(1 hour ethics)
Grand Ballroom 8B
Convention Level

Moderator:
Stuart F. Suskin, Attorney and Mediator
Stuart F. Suskin Mediation
Gainesville, FL

Panel:
A. Michelle Jernigan, Attorney and Mediator
Upchurch, Watson, White & Max
Orlando, FL

Rosemary Eure, Attorney
Lancaster and Eure, PA
Sarasota, FL

All successful mediators have special human dynamics tools in their toolbox. Learn some of the best tips and tools mediators and attorneys may use to persuade clients and the opposition. This session will provide you with an opportunity to learn about and consider how effective these approaches might be in persuading you before you adopt them to use in dealing with others.

11:00 – 11:10 am
Break

11:10 – 12:10 pm
Breakout Session 3
PMI Keynote Presentation: The Emotional Psychology of Mediation
(1 hour general)
Grand Ballroom 8A
Convention Level

Speaker:
Stacey Tantleff Dunn, Psychologist, PhD
Winter Park, FL

Mediation is an emotionally-charged situation with adversarial participants. Successfully navigating the inherent difficulties requires psychological and emotional skills and self-awareness. Furthermore, to be effective and maintain a personal sense of well-being, all participants in mediation need to understand the emotional factors that lead to burnout as well as the strategies to prevent it.

12:10 – 1:10 pm
Lunch (on your own)

1:10 – 2:10 pm
Breakout Session 4A
The Influence of Social Media on Technology
(1 hour technology)
Grand Ballroom 8A
Convention Level

Moderator:
Christine L. Harter, Attorney and Mediator
Mediation & Dispute Resolution Center
Ocala, FL

Speaker:
Renee Thompson, Attorney and Mediator
Upchurch Watson White & Max
Ocala, FL

This will address many forms of social media and how this form of communicating is impacting technology. As social media has become an integral part of evolving laws and many lawsuits, as well as having an increasing influence on the mediation industry, technology is adapting to include a more human-friendly face with social-based operating systems and software.

1:10 – 2:10 pm
Breakout Session 4B
We Are Really Sorry You Had to be Here! – The Power of Apology
(1 hour general)
Grand Ballroom 8B
Convention Level

Handout

Panel:
Robin Caral Shaw, Attorney and Mediator
Chairperson PMI
Law Office of Robin Caral Shaw, PA
Boca Raton, FL

Thomas E. Glick, Attorney and Mediator
Center for Conflict Resolution
Miami, FL

Have you given any thought to what makes an apology effective? What spoils it? These panelists will dissect an apology looking at content and timing elements, will share some apology war stories, and will encourage the audience to share their experiences in giving and receiving apologies. They’ll also discuss the power of saying “thank you” in mediation.

2:10 – 2:15 pm
Break

2:15 – 4:15 pm
Breakout Session 5A
Medicare Secondary Payer Issues in Mediation: Don’t Let MSP Issues Prevent You From Settling
(2 hours general)
Grand Ballroom 8A
Convention Level

Panel:
Rafael Gonzalez, Attorney
Optum
Tampa, FL

Mark Popolizio, Attorney
ISO Claims Partners
Sunny Isles Beach, FL

When the claimant is a Medicare beneficiary, do you know what Medicare Secondary Payer issues should be discussed at mediation? Do you know the information you’ll need? The presenters will discuss real life examples of mediation situations where these issues and more are key to reaching a resolution.

2:15 – 4:15 pm
Breakout Session 5B
Interpersonal Violence in the Workplace
(2 hours domestic violence/interpersonal violence)
Grand Ballroom 8B
Convention Level

Panel:
Elizabeth (Liz) Bradshaw, MS
Victim Advocate, Special Victims Unit
Fort Lauderdale Police Department
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Andrew Scott, III
Scott Roberts and Associates, LLC
Lake Worth, FL

This presentation will outline and discuss varying types of violence that occur within the workplace, which include domestic violence, and the resulting impact it has on the company, employees, victims, and perpetrators. Attendees will have an increased understanding of the scope of workplace violence in the United States, behavioral cues to look for with fellow employees, actions to take, and mitigation strategies to work toward prevention.