Alternative dispute resolution.

• Author: Hoyle, D. Robert
• Position: Annual Reports of Sections and Divisions of The Florida Bar

The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Section had a busy year, with several major projects completed and the addition of new programs and continued opportunities for growth.

In September 2015, a comment was filed with the Florida Supreme Court by the executive council of the ADR Section in response to a petition submitted by the ADR Rules and Policy Committee of the Florida Supreme Court for a complete revision to the certification and disciplinary section of the Rules for Certified and Court-Appointed Mediators. The comment objects in part and seeks clarification of the proposal. The proposed new rule can be found on the Florida Supreme Court website at Case No. SC15-875. On March 8, the section chair participated in oral argument before the Supreme Court when concerns were discussed regarding the proposed revisions. The oral argument can be viewed on the Supreme Court website.

The executive council also filed a comment to another petition for a rule change regarding "other ADR processes" in Case No. SC14-1852. The chair participated in oral argument before the court on June 3, 2015. In accord with comments from other sections, the ADR Section suggested that the court deny the petition. In October 2015, the court issued an order in which it declined to adopt the proposed rule.

The section has sponsored three seminars in the past year, and another is scheduled for June 9 that deals with appellate mediation. In addition, the section will conduct a half-day seminar at The Florida Bar Annual Convention on June 16. Meah Tell, Michael Lax, Jesse Diner, Adele Stone, Alan Bookman, Michelle Jernigan, and Bob Hoyle are participants in the presentation.

Finally, several members of the section will be making presentations in August at the Professional Mediation Institute program as part of the Workers' Compensation Institute Conference.

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