It is with great pleasure that I provide updates on some of the exciting improvements going on here at SCMA. We have had much going on behind the scenes that we wanted to let you know about!

Website Update/Membership Profiles/Select-A-Mediator Directory

We have been making many changes to our website and membership management systems. This will assist all of us better communicating with members and in implementing our new Select-A-Mediator Directory. In the next couple of weeks please look for an email notification from SCMA which will ask you to login to your new and improved profile. You will be able to update all of your contact information and preferences, as well as provide us additional information regarding your background and experience. This profile will also assign you a new membership ID number. In addition, you can add much more information to your profile such as your website, Linkedin profile, and other social media links you would like to provide for the directory.

It is important that when you get this email, you update your profile as quickly as possible. We will be launching our Select-A-Mediator Directory shortly after that, for which all members are eligible provided they also substantially meet the qualifications previously required for membership on the LA Superior Court mediation panel. We greatly appreciate everyone’s patience during this exciting transition.

New Membership Structure

In addition to all of these upgrades, we have also implemented changes to our annual membership structure. If you are a current member, your membership is now current through March 1, 2014. Anyone who joins after May 15, 2013, will now be on an annual rolling membership from the date they join or prior year’s expiration date. That means every new member will always get a full 12 months out of their membership. We are all grateful for your participation and support of this amazing organization.

Anne E. Sawyer, Executive Director
anne@scmediation.org

May 21-22, 2013
9:00am – 4:30pm each day

Click here to register.

The Center for Civic Mediation hosts a training with Bill Eddy. This seminar will train professionals from all fields to identify the interpersonal conflict dynamics of high conflict personalities, intervene in their aggressively defensive behavior, recognize common cognitive distortions for those with high conflict personalities, apply recent brain research to changing high conflict behavior, and apply key skills for managing people with high conflict personalities. These techniques apply when dealing with coworkers and employees as well as clients and collaborators.

Contact Andrew Culberson at 213 896-6536 or aculberson@centerforcivicmediation.org

Los Angeles County Bar Association
1055 West 7^th Street, suite 2700
Los Angeles, CA 90404

Click here to register

This interactive course includes extensive practice and individualized coaching in advanced mediation skills. Minimum 10 hours of litigated case training and 9 hours role-play. Lecture topics include conflict-assessment, consensus-building, problem-solving techniques, managing complex cases, legal ethics, who-is-at-the-table-analysis, and distributive and integrative bargaining. We use a diverse range of case studies.

Contact Andrew Culberson at 213 896-6536 or aculberson@centerforcivicmediation.org

Trainers: Avis Ridley-Thomas, Co-Executive Director and Jill Frank, Program Manager

Location: Community Partners, 2nd Floor at The California Endowment,
1000 N. Alameda Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Trainings: Monday April 29, 2013 6PM – 8PM
Saturday May 4, 2013 9AM – 11AM

(please note: same session will be repeated; select the one that works best for your schedule)

Mediators needed: May 1, 2013 – May 31, 2013

Click here to see flyer with full details.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Straus Institute at Pepperdine University, O.C. Campus
Lakeshore Towers III
18111 Von Karman, Second Floor, Irvine, CA 92612
Program: 1:30 – 4:00 pm • Reception: 4:15 pm
2.0 MCLE

A Review of Recent Cases, Statutes and Rules Affecting the Practice of Mediation, Arbitration and Settlement Negotiation for Attorneys Practicing in Southern California.

OC Arbitration and Mediation Law May 1 2013.

2nd Annual Real Estate Mediation Institute

Date: Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Time: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration from 9:00-9:30 a.m.
Program from 9:30-12:00 p.m.

Location: Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors
6330 San Vicente Boulevard,
Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90048

BHGLAAR & SCMA Members: $35.00
Non-Members: $40.00

Click here to see the flyer and complete details.

Topics for the 2013 Real Estate Mediation Institute:

Divorce Trusts, Short Sales, Landlord/Tenant, and more cutting edge
real estate issues. This presentation is intended for both real estate
professionals and mediators who want to expand their client database
and ensure their clients (divorcing or not) are appropriately advised.

Panelists Include:

• Scott Berman – Real Estate & Divorce Mediator
• Myles Ross – Senior Mortgage Advisor
• Julianne Waggoner – Real Estate Broker, Probate & Trust Specialist
• Terri Breer – Divorce Attorney & Mediator
• Alexander S. Polsky, Esq. – Construction Mediator, Arbitrator & Attorney
• Samuel C. Konugres – Real Estate Attorney & Mediator

SCMA Employment Mediation Institute 2013

Wednesday, May 15, 2013
6:00 – 9:00p.m.
2.0 Hours of MCLE Credit

This in-depth, collaborative discussion will include prominent mediators, as well as plaintiff and defense employment attorneys who will share their strategies in achieving optimal results in mediating wage and hour disputes and discrimination claims. This will be a highly beneficial opportunity to gain practical knowledge and enhance efficiency, for both employment mediators and attorneys.

Click here to see the event flyer.

6:00 – 7:00p.m. Hors d’oeuvres & Networking Reception (No Host Bar)
7:00 – 8:00p.m. Effectively Mediating Wage and Hour Disputes: It’s About Time and Money

• Judge Stephen E. Haberfeld (Ret.) (JAMS)
• Joshua F. Young, Esq. (Gilbert & Sackman)
• Laurent Badoux, Esq. (Greenberg Traurig, LLP)

8:00 – 9:00p.m. Advanced Strategies in Mediating FEHA Claims: It’s An Interactive Process

• Joel P. Kelly, Esq. (Jackson Lewis LLP)
• Alicia Olivares, Esq. (The Feldman Law Firm)
• Steven W. Paul, Esq. (Alternative Resolution Centers)

Hyatt Regency Century Plaza – Constellation 2 Ballroom
2025 Avenue of the Stars Los Angeles, CA 90067
Discounted valet and self-parking (parking also available at Westfield Mall)

Cost: SCMA Members: $75.00 (advance registration), $85.00 (on–site)
Non-Members: $85.00 (advance registration), $95.00 (on-site)
Law Students: $45.00

CO-SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS

When
Thursday June 6, 2013 at 8:00 AM PDT
-to-
Saturday June 8, 2013 at 7:00 PM PDT

Where
Skirball Center
2701 N Sepulveda Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90049

The Marina Collaborative Practice Group along with Co-Sponsor, the Southern California Mediation Association, are excited to announce our upcoming Three-Day Collaborative Practice Training June 6-8, 2013 in Los Angeles, California at the beautiful Skirball Center.

The Three-Day Streamlined Protocols Training has been specifically designed for legal, mental health and financial professionals already trained in collaborative practice who want to sharpen their skills as well as those new to Collaborative Practice who would like to provide Interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce Services to their clients.

Early Bird Rate for first 15 SCMA members!

Register for the event here.

See the event flyer here.

EVENT POSTPONED: NEW DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED. STAY TUNED!

See the event flyer.