Member Spotlight, 0122 COBJ, Vol. 51, No. 1 Pg. 96

• Position: Vol. 51, 1 [Page 96]

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

No. Vol. 51, No. 1 [Page 96]

Colorado Lawyer

January, 2022

Melora Bentz

Melora Bentz is a mediator, employee relations consultant, and restorative justice facilitator with a focus on solving problems via creative collaboration. She has 20 years’ experience as an attorney with a passion for social justice.

PROFILE

Hometown: Youngstown, Ohio

Law School: Case Western Reserve University School of Law

Lives in: Denver

Works at: Middle Path Mediation, LLC

Practice Area(s): Mediation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Indigent Criminal Defense, Restorative Justice

CBA Member Since: 2016

What do you like best about your practice area?

I appreciate the mediators’ mindset of “Can I help these opposing parties to better communicate and effectively express what they need?” It sounds simple, but it requires juggling many moving parts, like the nature of the conflict; the parties’ individual life experiences, personalities, and emotional intelligence; and their abilities to compromise and distinguish their positions from their interests.

What organizations are you involved in?

I serve on the board of directors for Colorado Humanities, a nonprofit that seeks to inspire Coloradans to explore ideas and appreciate our diverse cultural heritage through programs that promote community connections, create dialogue, and foster an appreciation for the humanities. I’m chair of the CBA ADR Section’s EDI Committee. I provide employee relations consulting for the Democratic National Committee and conduct contract criminal defense work for the Office of Alternate Defense Counsel. And I’m a mediator for Court Mediation Services and a restorative justice facilitator for the Conflict Center.

How do you like to spend your free time?

One thing I love about Coloradans is that we do not let the weather hold us back from getting outdoors. I like to hike, bike, ski, garden, practice yoga, meditate, read, write, play guitar, love on animals, and get out into nature.

Last movie you watched:

I recently watched My Octopus Teacher. It’s a documentary by filmmaker Craig Foster that beautifully captures the unusual friendship he develops with an octopus living in the South African kelp forest. I highly recommend it.

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