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Track 1
Track 2
A Proven Treatment: Mediation in Healthcare Disputes
September 26, 2026
9:00 am - 8:50 am ET
Panelist
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Kimberly Best, RN, MA
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Best Conflict Solutions, LLC
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Topic
The University of Michigan Health System has operated a communication-and-resolution program since 2001. The result: lawsuits down 65%, legal costs down 61%. Michigan’s own data makes the case. Yet healthcare mediation remains one of the least-utilized tools in dispute resolution practice, and that gap represents an enormous opportunity. Not only for mediators, but for healthcare employees, the healthcare culture and system, and for healthcare consumers. This session examines the landscape of healthcare conflict, the evidence base for mediation, the cultural and structural barriers that keep it from wider adoption, and the self-examination that high-stakes healthcare mediation demands of every practitioner in the room.
ADA Accommodations in mediation by Mediators
September 26, 2026
9:00 am - 8:50 am ET
Panelists
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John Sier
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Kitch Attorneys & Counselors PC
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Christine Gilman
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Executive Director Dispute Resolution Center of West Michigan
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Julie Markgraf
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Markgraf ADR, PLLC
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Dale Iverson
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JustMediation PLC,
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Ashley Jacobson
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Jacobson Law and Advocacy
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Considering that 1 in 4 adults have some form of disability, mediators should be aware of the need and obligation for accommodations to ensure that parties are fully able to participate in a mediation session. Many times, we create accommodations without much thought, sometimes as a matter of “courtesy,” but this session will equip attendees to be more intentional in enabling party full participation without appearing to lose neutrality and without losing control of the mediation process.
Topic
A Conversation with a Michigan ADR Pioneer: A Fireside Chat with Hon. Cynthia Diane Stephens (Ret.)
September 26, 2026
10:00 am - 10:50 am ET
Panelists
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Hon. Cynthia Stephens (Ret.)
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Lisa Timmons
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Lisa W. Timmons, PLLC
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Topic
Join retired Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Cynthia Diane Stephens for an engaging conversation about her distinguished judicial career and her lasting impact on alternative dispute resolution in Michigan.
Judge Stephens played a significant role in the development of Michigan's ADR system, including her work as one of the drafters of the state's case evaluation court rules during the early evolution of court-connected ADR. In this conversation, she will reflect on the history and growth of ADR in Michigan, discuss why diversity among neutrals is essential to the legitimacy and effectiveness of the profession, and share the experiences that shaped her journey from the bench to private dispute resolution.
Attendees will gain insight into the evolution of ADR in Michigan, hear practical perspectives on effective advocacy and neutrality, and learn from one of Michigan's most respected jurists as she offers guidance for the next generation of mediators, arbitrators, and ADR practitioners.
This unique conversation provides a rare opportunity to hear firsthand from a trailblazer whose work has helped shape dispute resolution in Michigan.
Moderated by Lisa W. Timmons, Esq., Arbitrator and Mediator, ADR Clerk of Wayne County Circuit Court, Executive Director-Mediation Tribunal Association
Goals and Purpose of Mediation
September 26, 2026
10:00 am - 10:50 am ET
Panelists
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Donald H. Passenger
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Passenger Law PLLC
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Jonathon Moothart
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Moothart Law
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Topic
Contrary to popular belief, the goals and purposes of mediation are many and varied. Our presentation will suggest that there are other goals and success should be measured in other ways, especially for cases that do not settle at mediation. We will seek to have participants add to these lists and gain understanding of goals that may not be thought of including:
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Mediator Goals
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Defendant
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Mediator Goals
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Plaintiff Goals
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Defendant Goals
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Court Goals
Beyond the Check: How Trauma-Informed ADR Practice Unlocks Non-Monetary Terms that Support Resolution
September 26, 2026
11:00 am - 11:50 am ET
Panelist
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Rebecca Sposita
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President, Attorney and Counselor, The Sam Bernstein Law Firm
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Deborah E. Prowse
High-stakes disputes (especially those escalating into seven- and-eight-figure litigation) are rarely driven by money alone. Instead, many conflicts spiral out of control because the complainant's true desires are overlooked during the legal process.
Key Takeaways
The Need to Be Made Whole: For a justice-driven party, the emotional and systemic need to be made whole almost always outweighs a standard monetary settlement alone.
Beyond Financial Terms: Real resolution often requires non-monetary terms that money cannot buy, such as a formal apology, systemic policy changes, new safety measures, or mandatory training programs designed to prevent future harm.
Trauma-Informed Practice: Implementing a trauma-informed approach can keep high-tension negotiations from collapsing. By understanding the complainant's underlying needs, practitioners can revive stalled cases and secure lasting agreements.
Methodology: The presentation utilizes real-world case studies, the ON-TARGET framework, and outcome data from institutional Communication and Resolution Programs (CRPs) to demonstrate these principles in action.
Topic
Strategies for Conducting a Speedy and Effective Small Claims Court Mediation
September 26, 2026
11:00 am - 11:50 am ET
Panelist
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Sean A. Fisher, Sr.
Topic
This presentation is structured to last approximately 60 minutes, including a 15-minute Q&A session to facilitate audience engagement. The primary focus will be a comprehensive slide deck outlining strategic methodologies for conducting small claims processes efficiently and effectively.Key strategies will encompass the stages of Opening, Facilitation, Questioning, and Closing.
Optimizing Outcome: How Bench-Bar Alignment Strengthens ADR
September 26, 2026
12:00 pm - 12:50 pm ET
Panelists
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Hon. Patricia Fresard
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Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan
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Hon. Leslie Smith
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Third Judicial Circuit of Michigan
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Ronald K. Weiner
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Lipton Law
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Optimizing Outcomes: How Bench-Bar Alignment Strengthens ADR
Featuring Judge Patricia Perez Fresard, Judge Leslie Kim Smith (ret.), and Ronald Weiner
When judges and ADR professionals work in alignment, cases resolve faster, dockets move, and litigants receive better outcomes at a lower cost. This panel brings the bench and bar together to examine how that alignment works in practice, anchored by the Third Judicial Circuit's innovative Crash Program, which channels auto negligence and no-fault insurance cases into structured facilitation. Judge Patricia Perez Fresard, who pioneered the program, is joined by Judge Leslie Kim Smith (ret.) and Ronald Weiner, both of whom have facilitated regularly in the program, for a candid discussion of what makes court-connected ADR succeed.
Topics will include the role of ADR in addressing court congestion; cost, time, and efficiency gains from early referral; challenges and resistance to mediation; best practices for collaboration between judges and neutrals; how courts handle referrals involving self-represented litigants; and practical steps judges can take to become more engaged in the ADR process. The session will conclude with audience Q&A.
Topic
Changes in the Workplace and in Arbtiration and ADR
September 26, 2026
12:00 pm - 12:50 pm ET
Panelist
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Robert Bruno
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Professor of Labor and Employment Relations, Director of the Labor Education Program, Chicago, IL,
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Stanley T. Dobry ESQ.
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Arbitrator, Mediator & Fact Finder
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Andrew J. Zeiser
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Assistant Professor, Management Marketing and Supply Chain Department, Boler College of Business, John Carroll University, Cleveland, OH
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Dr. Kevin Banks
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Professor of Law, Associate Dean, Faculty and Academic Policy, Faculty of Law, Queen's University
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Topic
The modern workplace is shifting faster than ever - from new technologies to evolving employee expectations. Join this panel as they explore what’s driving these changes, how the workplace differs in the U.S. and Canada, and what it means for the pratice of arbitration. A ivey C&A will follow to tackle your questions.
Moderator
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John C. Alfano
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NAA, Avenue. MD;
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Speaker
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James Darden
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2026-2027 Section Chair, ADR Section, State Bar of Michigan
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Closing Remarks
September 26, 2026 | 12:50 pm - 1:00 pm ET
Topic
Closing remarks delivered by James Darden