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Effective Arbitration & Mediation Advocacy - The Do's and Don'ts

- Location -
Hotel @ The Lafayette
391 Washington Street
Buffalo, NY 14203
518-487-5674

Click Here to see the full program brochure   (pdf)

Register Here  (pdf)

A day-long international symposium with a keynote luncheon address by the Hon. William M. Skretny, Chief Judge of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York presented by the New York State Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section, the Bar Association of Erie County and the Monroe County Bar Association in collaboration with the, ICC Canada, the Toronto Commercial Arbitration Society, and Arbitration Place. 

-Program Faculty-
Edward S. Bloomberg, Esq., Partner, Phillips Lytle LLP
Laurent Debrun, Esq., Partner, Kaufman Laramée, LLP Montreal
Marc J. Goldstein, Esq., Principal, Marc J. Goldstein Litigation & Arbitration Chambers, New York 
Krista Gottlieb, Esq., Partner, Mattar, D'Agostino & Gottlieb, LLP, Buffalo
Richard F. Griffin, Esq., Counsel, Kavinoky Cook LLP, Buffalo
Kathleen J. Kelly, Esq., Principal, Kelly ADR, Toronto
Barry Leon, Esq., Partner, Perley-Robertson, Hill & McDougall LLP; Chair, ICC Canada, Ottawa 
Richard A. Johnston, Esq., Partner, WilmerHale, Boston
Randolph C. Oppenheimer, Esq., Partner, Damon Morey LLP, Buffalo
Sharon M. Porcellio, Esq., Partner, Ward Greenberg Heller & Reidy, Rochester 
Rona G. Shamoon, Esq., Chair,  Dispute Resolution Section, NYSBA, Skadden Arps, New York
Sheldon K. Smith, Esq., Partner, Nixon Peabody LLP, Buffalo/Rochester
Steven Sugarman, Esq., Director of the Mediation Clinic, SUNY Buffalo Law School, Partner, Pusatier, Sherman, Abbott & Sugarman
Lawrence J. Vilardo, Esq., Partner, Connors & Vilardo, LLP, Buffalo

8:30-9:00 a.m.             Registration and Buffet Breakfast

9:00-9:30 a.m.             Welcoming Remarks
                                        Rona G. Shamoon, Esq., Chair, Dispute Resolution Section, NYSBA, Skadden Arps, New York
                                        Barry Leon, Esq., Chair, ICC Canada

MORNING ARBITRATION PROGRAM

9:30 - 10:20 a.m.           Drafting the Arbitration Clause -- Advance Planning for Faster, Smarter, Cheaper Arbitration

• 'Multi-Tier' Dispute Resolution Clauses
• Picking an Institution/Appointing Authority
• Pros-Cons of Party-Appointed Arbitrators
• “Judicializing" Arbitration With Courtroom Procedure

Faculty:                       Krista Gottlieb, Esq., Richard F. Griffin, Esq., Richard A. Johnston, Esq., Barry Leon, Esq., Rona G. Shamoon, Esq., 

10:20-11:10 a.m.         Arbitration Fast-Track: Effective Advocacy for a Faster Process
                                    This session explores strategies for getting provisional and final relief with minimum delay from courts, arbitrators, and emergency arbitrators.

• Interim Relief from Courts and Arbitrators
• Emergency Arbitrators -- An Effective Innovation?
• Effective Oral and Written Advocacy: Finding the Right Voice
• Cross Examination and Expert Evidence

Faculty:                       Edward S. Bloomberg, Esq., Laurent Debrun, Esq., Randolph C. Oppenheimer, Esq., Sharon M. Porcellio, Esq.,
                                    Sheldon K. Smith, Esq., Lawrence J. Vilardo, Esq.

11:10 – 11:30 a.m.     Break

11:30-12:20 p.m.        Counsel Ethics in Arbitration: Fresh Views on Perennial Problems
                                    Arbitration rules and statutes offer little guidance about counsel behavior in an arbitration, or the panel's power to regulate it.
                                    What is the right course for the ethical advocate?"

• Use Of Counsel-To-Counsel Communications
• Social And Professional Contact With The Arbitrator During The Case
• Counsel and Arbitrator Disqualification Motions
• Guerilla Tactics + Arbitrator Control
• Conflicting Ethical Rules Between The Parties’ and/or Counsels’ Jurisdictions

Faculty:                       Marc J. Goldstein, Esq., Richard F. Griffin, Esq., Kathleen J. Kelly, Esq., Sharon M. Porcellio, Esq., 

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.        Buffet Lunch
Lunch Speaker:        Hon. William M. Skretny, Chief Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of New York

 AFTERNOON MEDIATION PROGRAM 

The New Art of Mediation Advocacy: Winning the Case through Diplomacy 
These sessions will examine strategies for solving complicated commercial disputes in non-adversarial ADR, using a mock mediation of the National Hockey League labor dispute as a vehicle for demonstration and discussion."

 1:40-2:30 p.m.           Setting the Stage for Effective Mediation

• Choosing Ground Rules and the Mediator
• Warming to the Task of "Compelled" Mediation
• Defining and Prioritizing Objectives
• Preparing an Effective Mediation Brief
• Presenting Complex Business Data
• Ex Parte vs Shared Submissions

Faculty:                      Laurent Debrun, Esq., Krista Gottlieb, Esq., Richard A. Johnston, Esq., Barry Leon, Esq., Lawrence J. Vilardo, Esq.

2:30-3:20 p.m.            Advocating For and Against Collective Interests

• Picking the Right Client Representatives and Defining Their Roles
• Opportunities For Direct Negotiations: When Should The Mediator Step Aside?
• Politics And Psychology Of "Group" Clients
• Effective Use of the Mediator: Do Duties of Candor Limit Strategies?

Faculty:                    Kathleen J. Kelly, Esq., Randolph C. Oppenheimer, Esq., Sharon M. Porcellio, Esq., Sheldon K. Smith, Esq., Steven Sugarman, Esq. 

3:20-3:35p.m.           Break

3:35 - 4:25 p.m.        Making and Closing the Deal: Understanding the Mediator’s Role

• Mediator's Role in Crafting the Deal
• Mediator's Role in Advocating for Deal Approval
• Mediator's Ongoing Role as Dispute Resolver Under the Deal Terms

Faculty:                     Krista Gottlieb, Esq., Richard F. Griffin, Esq., Barry Leon, Partner, Esq., Steven Sugarman, Esq. 

4:25-5:00 p.m.            Question & Answer

This program has been approved for 6.0 MCLE credits (5.0 in the category of skills and 1.0 in the category of ethics) This program qualifies for newly admitted attorneys 

We Wish to Acknowledge the Following Corporate Sponsors

Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities:
NYSBA welcomes participation by individuals with disabilities. NYSBA is committed to complying with all applicable laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals on the basis of disability in the full and equal enjoyment of its goods, services, programs, activities, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations. To request auxiliary aids or services or if you have any questions regarding accessibility, please contact Kathy Heider at 800-582-2452 or kheider@nysba.org.