Our section continues to number well over 100 paid members and many non-member ADR professionals all of whom are committed to advancing quality ADR processes in our state. Our meetings occur on the third Monday of every other month at 4 p.m. at the Oklahoma Bar Center and are video-cast to the Tulsa County Bar Center offices, with teleconferencing available to members in outlying areas of Oklahoma.

The section is currently planning to sponsor quality training for attorneys to become certified mediators pursuant to the Dispute Resolution Act in June 2009. In the past bar year, the section also sponsored a CLE on preparing and advocating for clients in mediation. Section activity this year has also focused on promoting mediator quality, producing a quality CD/DVD educational video of a mediation conference to assist attorneys and litigants in preparing for a meaningful mediation experience, and producing an informative section newsletter.

We have three standing subcommittees – one for arbitration issues, one for mediation quality issues, and one for the development of the CD/DVD – all of which have been working hard this year to advocate for maintaining attorney competency in ADR processes and public confidence in the available alternative processes to court proceedings to resolve legal disputes.

The arbitration subcommittee continues to track the recent developments in the federal and state appellate courts, and legislation proposed to Congress and the Oklahoma Legislature that could affect the availability of arbitration or its process. The subcommittee is also considering procedural rules for the Oklahoma state courts to adopt in relation to the arbitration process.

The mediation quality subcommittee has been communicating with the ABA Section on Dispute Resolution Task Force on promoting mediation quality and is studying the results from its recent report. The subcommittee is also exploring recent standards proposed by the New York State Bar.

The section’s CD/DVD subcommittee continues its plan to produce a high quality CD/DVD of a mediation conference for educating attorneys and litigants about the mediation process. A script is currently being drafting, with a goal of production in the upcoming bar year. This project is being accomplished through a partnership between the ADR Section and the Institute for Dispute Resolution at Oklahoma State University.

Finally, our section continues to circulate its informative newsletter, ADR CONNECTIONS, thanks to tireless efforts from its editor and section members who contribute updates in ADR law and practice.

Andrea Braeutigam
Chairperson