Standing Committees

Co-Chairs:  

• Ana Sambold
• Neil Smith

About the Committee:

Thank you for your interest in applying to serve as a member of the Committee on Alternative Dispute Resolution.  We are a collegial, active committee that seeks to:

• provide members of the California Lawyers Association (CLA) with quality continuing education on Alternative Dispute Resolution;
• comment on proposed changes to state and federal law and rules that affect Alternative Dispute Resolution; and
• Prepare suggested amendments to court rules and statutes pertaining to Alternative Dispute Resolution;
• Identify issues regarding the relationship of ADR to the practice of law, the administration of justice and improving access to justice and make proposals or recommendations to the Executive Committee based on the issues identified;
• Keep the Litigation Section abreast of ADR issues that may have an impact on Section members.

We are committed to including dispute resolution professionals from a broad range of subject areas and practice types, including practitioners from large ADR providers and solo practitioners, ADR court practitioners, and academics.  In selecting new members, the Committee also seeks diversity in terms of practice area, geographic location, ethnicity, and gender/gender identity.

Committee Oversight: The Litigation Section Executive Committee

Number of Members: 18

Member Terms: Three years.  Terms begin and end on the last day of the CLA Annual Meeting.

Meetings: We typically meet by phone every two months and in person three times per year.

Expectations: The Committee expects each member to help with at least one of the following projects per year:

• organize or help organize an MCLE program (either a webinar or a live panel);
• write an article for California Litigation journal;
• prepare a written MCLE test;
• draft and finalize the committee’s comments on a proposed rule change;
• assist the executive committee as requested.

In addition, each member is expected to participate in all Committee meetings and the selection of new members.

Applicants must be members of the Litigation, Business, or Family Law Section of CLA, or must join one of these sections once selected for membership on the Committee.  If joining one of these sections would present a problem, an applicant may explain the problem in a cover letter, and an exception to the requirement will be considered.

Webinars

• June 7, 2018: How to Get More Out of your Mediator and your Mediations
• September 7, 2018: SB-766: The International Arbitration California Gold Rush
• October 24, 2018: The Devil’s in the Details: A Litigator’s Guide to Interpreting & Understanding the Subtleties of a Dispute Resolution Clause
• November 27, 2018: The Saga of Donald Trump and Stormy Daniels Arbitration and Confidentiality Agreement
• December 12, 2018: But You Didn’t Tell Me That! New Mandatory Disclosures Before Mediation
• February 13, 2019: What Every Litigator Needs to Know about Arbitration: A Primer
• March 13, 2019: Cross Border Mediation: What You Should Know
• April 24, 2019: Sexual Harassment Claims and Mandatory Arbitration

Upcoming Live Programs

• May 29, 2019: International Arbitration Academy (LA & SF)
• September 30, 2019: Entertainment and Sports International Arbitration – London Program

Future Webinars (Date TBD)

• Online Dispute Resolution as an alternative to promote Access to Justice
• The taking of Evidence in International Arbitration
• Anatomy of a Personal Injury Case Mediation
• Class Actions and Arbitration
• The Art of Ethically Settling Disputes
• Attorney’s Fee Arbitration
• Dispute Resolution Program at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
• Expert Witness in Arbitration