Dear SCMA Colleagues:
In true fashion, the month of June has started with a few gloomy days, hopeful to turn to sunny and memory-filled summer days very soon. Although gloomy, the light shines bright for SCMA and the great things we have planned for the summer and the remainder of the year. Below are a few highlights:
Employment Mediation Institute – First, I would like to thank SCMA Member Samantha Blake, Board Member Mark Lemke, our speakers, and sponsors on a successful Employment Mediation Institute, hosted at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. With over 60 people in attendance, we tackled the myriad of impacts the #MeToo movement has had on the entertainment industry, on businesses, on employees’ lives, and on our mediation practices.
Family Mediation Institute – Our Family Mediation Institute this Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8, 2019 promises to be a great event! If you have not registered to attend, it is not too late. Even if you are not a family law mediator, you should plan to attend the Friday afternoon session on self-care for mediators (something we all need) and a networking reception after. Thank you SCMA Board Members Terri Breer and Susan Guthrie, and SCMA Member Laura McGee for your leadership in planning this event. To learn more & register, click here.
Mentorship Program – Are you looking to grow your mediation practice? Please consider applying for our next mentorship program class that will begin in July. Thank you SCMA Board Member Mitch Tarighati and past SCMA Board Member David Levaton for your continued commitment in spearheading our mentorship program. To apply, click here.
Summer Soiree – We look forward to our Annual Summer Soiree on Thursday, August 1, 2019. Thanks to SCMA Members Doug Spoors and Marvin Whistler for all their hard work in ensuring this event creates great networking opportunities for our members. To learn more, click here.
Among other things, we plan to honor our outgoing Executive Director Anne Sawyer. Although it will be difficult to replace Anne, as an interim measure, we will begin recruiting for a part-time Administrative Coordinator to assist with handling the administrative and back-end operations of the organization, including social media and communications management, program and event planning. The formal announcement for this position will go out the week of June 10, 2019. If you are interested in this position or know of someone who may be, please have them contact me or President-Elect Andy Shelby.
Annual Conference – Interested in being a speaker at our Annual Conference on November 1 and 2, 2019 at the LA Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles? Be on the lookout for the Request for Proposals coming to your email boxes soon. Professor Carrie Menkel-Meadow will be our L. Randolph Lowry Award Honoree and Friday night keynote speaker. Professor Leonard L. Riskin as our Cloke-Millen Peacemaker Award Honoree and Saturday keynote speaker. Our theme is “The Twenty-First Century Mediator: Take Your Practice to the Next Level.”
Committee Participation – Many of you responded to my call seeking new volunteer committee members. Thank you! We look forward to helping more of our members get involved with SCMA and in becoming a part of the movement to grow and expand our work as mediators.
Hopefully our gloomy weather days will come to an end soon. However, I know each of you are helping to brighten someone’s day through your invaluable work as mediators. Keep up the good work!
Please do hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments at angela@reddocklaw.com or (213) 996-8474. I am continually grateful for the opportunity to serve as your SCMA President.
Yours in service,
Angela Reddock-Wright
SCMA President 2019
Welcome New/Renewing Members – July 2019
News & Announcements, NewsletterThank you to all of the people who either joined or renewed their memberships in the month of July with SCMA!!
RECAP: 2019 Summer Soiree
Newsletter, Past Events Reviews & RecapsThe SCMA 2019 Summer Soiree Was A Roaring Success!
Many thanks to those who attended our SCMA 2019 Summer Soiree at the historic Proud Bird Restaurant and Events Center! We had a great time networking and connecting with our colleagues in the mediation community. A special thanks to SCMA Members Doug Spoors and Marvin Whistler for their outstanding leadership in planning the event – we could not have done it without them.
Joined by past SCMA Presidents Wendy Kramer and Jason Harper, the highlight of the evening was honoring Anne Sawyer and thanking her for her many years of service as the SCMA Executive Director. We wish Anne well and continued success!
We also were privileged to acknowledge our recent Mentorship Program graduates. Thank you to David Levaton, former SCMA Board Member and co-Leader of the Mentorship Program, for joining us and making the presentation.
We were grateful to have many of our mediation leaders join us, including Professor Stephanie Blondell of the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law, Jennifer Cummings, the new Director of the United States District Court Central District Mediation Program, Cherry-Marie B. Destura, head of the EEOC’s Mediation Program, and Shaphan Roberts, Director of the City of Los Angeles Dispute Resolution Program.
We look forward to seeing you at the 2020 Summer Soiree and please do not forget to SAVE THE DATE and plan to register for our 31st SCMA Annual Conference on November 1 and 2, 2019 at the LA Grand Hotel! Details coming soon.
Thank you again to everyone for coming out!
Welcome New/Renewing Members – June 2019
News & Announcements, NewsletterThank you to all of the people who either joined or renewed their memberships in the month of June with SCMA!!
Live from the 2019 Family Mediation Institute – Breaking Free: A Modern Divorce Podcast!
News & Announcements, Newsletter, Past Events Reviews & RecapsTo close out the recent Family Mediation Institute, SCMA Board Member, Susan Guthrie and her co-host, Rebecca Zung recorded a special LIVE EPISODE of their hit podcast Breaking Free: A Modern Divorce Podcast and interviewed members and attendees who shared their top tips including DO’S and DON’TS for having a successful mediation. You can download and listen to the episode on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher and all major podcast outlets or by clicking the button below!
Breaking Free: A Modern Divorce Podcast is an iTunes top 10 podcast and was recently featured in the “New & Noteworthy” listings and on the “Recommended” list by Podbean. The show has had more than 1.2 million listens and is the #1 divorce podcast in the country! A new episode comes out every Monday at 9 a.m. EST.
RECAP: 2019 Family Mediation Institute
Newsletter, Past Events Reviews & RecapsSCMA’s Annual Family Institute 2019 Was A Success!
Another Successful Event Presented by the Southern California Mediation Association! From its Friday afternoon Workshop, Keynote and Mixer to the podcast at the end of the day on Saturday, the SCMA’s Family Mediation Institute was a not to miss event for family mediators. Attendees at the event, held on Friday, June 7th and Saturday June 8th at the Doubletree Hotel OC Airport, not only enjoyed professional networking, a chance to visit the FMI Exhibit Hall and Book Fair, but were also presented with informative workshops on topics ranging from online mediation and the apps and programs that are changing the future of family mediation, new tools for dividing stock options, expertise on refinancing and sale of marital real estate, to tips on creating parenting plans that insure better communication between co-parents.
Thanks to all our Sponsors, including our Gold Sponsors, Fayr – The Co-parenting Simplified App and HelloDivorce, our Keynote Speakers, best-selling authors Gabrielle Hartley and Todd Creager, and all of our Exhibitors and Workshop Presenters!
RECAP: 2019 Employment Mediation Institute
Newsletter, Past Events Reviews & RecapsSCMA’s 2019 Annual Employment Institute a Rousing Success!
Every year, SCMA offers the Employment Mediation Institute, and this year we tackled the myriad impacts of the #MeToo movement: on the entertainment industry, on businesses, on employees’ lives, and on our mediation practices. David White, National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, kicked us off with SAG-AFTRA’s industry-leading response, and Four Pillars of Change Initiative. Former SCMA President and mediator Jan Schau challenged us to reexamine our core value of confidentiality, and its potential consequences. We then offered two all-star panels updating our members on the many changes in the legal landscape, new thinking on intergenerational communication, and of course tips and tricks to bring to your own practice. We also offered a delicious breakfast to foster networking and reconnection with longtime friends. SCMA is excited to offer such excellent programming. We thank our sponsors. And we’re excited to announce a growing partnership with Versatape so everyone can benefit from our programming, even if you can’t attend in person (stay tuned).
Many thanks to Samantha Blake of EXTTI and Mark Lemke of Lemke Mediation for their excellent leadership in spearheading this event. We look forward to seeing you at next year’s event, and at the upcoming SCMA Annual Conference in November!
Pictures
Thank you again to Our Sponsors
June 2019 President’s Message from Angela J. Reddock-Wright, Esq.
From The President, NewsletterDear SCMA Colleagues:
In true fashion, the month of June has started with a few gloomy days, hopeful to turn to sunny and memory-filled summer days very soon. Although gloomy, the light shines bright for SCMA and the great things we have planned for the summer and the remainder of the year. Below are a few highlights:
Employment Mediation Institute – First, I would like to thank SCMA Member Samantha Blake, Board Member Mark Lemke, our speakers, and sponsors on a successful Employment Mediation Institute, hosted at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. With over 60 people in attendance, we tackled the myriad of impacts the #MeToo movement has had on the entertainment industry, on businesses, on employees’ lives, and on our mediation practices.
Family Mediation Institute – Our Family Mediation Institute this Friday and Saturday, June 7 and 8, 2019 promises to be a great event! If you have not registered to attend, it is not too late. Even if you are not a family law mediator, you should plan to attend the Friday afternoon session on self-care for mediators (something we all need) and a networking reception after. Thank you SCMA Board Members Terri Breer and Susan Guthrie, and SCMA Member Laura McGee for your leadership in planning this event. To learn more & register, click here.
Mentorship Program – Are you looking to grow your mediation practice? Please consider applying for our next mentorship program class that will begin in July. Thank you SCMA Board Member Mitch Tarighati and past SCMA Board Member David Levaton for your continued commitment in spearheading our mentorship program. To apply, click here.
Summer Soiree – We look forward to our Annual Summer Soiree on Thursday, August 1, 2019. Thanks to SCMA Members Doug Spoors and Marvin Whistler for all their hard work in ensuring this event creates great networking opportunities for our members. To learn more, click here.
Among other things, we plan to honor our outgoing Executive Director Anne Sawyer. Although it will be difficult to replace Anne, as an interim measure, we will begin recruiting for a part-time Administrative Coordinator to assist with handling the administrative and back-end operations of the organization, including social media and communications management, program and event planning. The formal announcement for this position will go out the week of June 10, 2019. If you are interested in this position or know of someone who may be, please have them contact me or President-Elect Andy Shelby.
Annual Conference – Interested in being a speaker at our Annual Conference on November 1 and 2, 2019 at the LA Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles? Be on the lookout for the Request for Proposals coming to your email boxes soon. Professor Carrie Menkel-Meadow will be our L. Randolph Lowry Award Honoree and Friday night keynote speaker. Professor Leonard L. Riskin as our Cloke-Millen Peacemaker Award Honoree and Saturday keynote speaker. Our theme is “The Twenty-First Century Mediator: Take Your Practice to the Next Level.”
Committee Participation – Many of you responded to my call seeking new volunteer committee members. Thank you! We look forward to helping more of our members get involved with SCMA and in becoming a part of the movement to grow and expand our work as mediators.
Hopefully our gloomy weather days will come to an end soon. However, I know each of you are helping to brighten someone’s day through your invaluable work as mediators. Keep up the good work!
Please do hesitate to contact me with any questions or comments at angela@reddocklaw.com or (213) 996-8474. I am continually grateful for the opportunity to serve as your SCMA President.
Yours in service,
Angela Reddock-Wright
SCMA President 2019
Welcome New/Renewing Members – May 2019
News & Announcements, NewsletterThank you to all of the people who either joined or renewed their memberships in the month of May with SCMA!!
Welcome New/Renewing Members – April 2019
News & Announcements, NewsletterThank you to all of the people who either joined or renewed their memberships in the month of April with SCMA!!
April 2019 President’s Message from Angela J. Reddock-Wright, Esq.
From The President, NewsletterDear SCMA Colleagues:
Now that tax season is over, we can start enjoying Spring (minus the allergies 😊) and soon coming Summer!
SCMA had a great kick-off to Spring with our inaugural “How I Made It” webinar series held on March 27, 2019. Many thanks to our guest Deborah Vey Voda-Hamilton for sharing her insights on building a successful mediation practice, and to SCMA Board Member Susan Guthrie for hosting the webinar. You still can purchase and view this video by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the page to sign up! We look forward to presenting our next “How I Made It” webinar in July 2019.
We also had a successful membership survey drive. Thanks to each of you who responded. We look forward to sharing the results of the survey and next steps in the coming weeks. Many thanks to SCMA President-Elect Andy Shelby and our Communications and Membership Committee for spearheading this effort.
We are deep in planning for our annual Employment Mediation Institute on May 18, 2019 and our Family Mediation Institute on June 7 and 8, 2019. Please be sure to register for these events and to catch the Early Bird specials! Many thanks to SCMA Members Samantha Blake and Laura McGee, and SCMA Board Members Richard Erhard, Terri Breer, Susan Guthrie, and Mark Lemke for their leadership in planning these events.
Congrats to SCMA Member Marcie Kraft and SCMA Board Member Kelly Morford for their success in kicking off our Camarillo/Ventura Professional Development Group (PDG) on March 27, 2019. They had a great first meeting and are busy planning for the next meeting on Wednesday, May 29, 2019.
Additional kudos to SCMA Members Anthony Farenga and Royal Lord for planning our first Inland Empire PDG event on April 4, 2019, in partnership with the Upland Unified School District. A big “high-five” to our San Diego PDG on a successful March PDG program featuring SCMA Members Harold Coleman and Debra Dupree from the American Arbitration Association.
Finally, we continue to be excited about our Annual Conference, scheduled for November 1 and 2, 2019 at the LA Grand Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. We are happy to announce Professor Carrie Menkel-Meadow as our L. Randolph Lowry Award Honoree and Friday night keynote speaker. We look forward to having Professor Leonard L. Riskin as our Cloke-Millen Peacemaker Award Honoree and Saturday keynote speaker. Could the line-up be any better? Look out for more details about the Annual Conference in the coming weeks.
Thank you for your membership in SCMA. Please feel free to reach out to me personally if I can answer any questions you may have or to chat about SCMA and the mediation field generally. My contact information is angela@reddocklaw.com or (213) 996-8474. Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your SCMA President.
Yours in Service,
Angela Reddock-Wright
SCMA President 2019