MBA Launches New Mediation Program

After years of planning and preparation, the MBA is proudly launching a new Mediation Program this Spring. The MBA Mediation Program will initially hear civil matters, with plans to expand into family law later this year.

The MBA recognized the need for a new mediation program to help serve our members and the public with an efficient and less adversarial means of resolving disputes. The program was carefully developed by the Mediation Center Ad-Hoc Committee appointed by MBA Past President Jacqueline M. Reynolds and continued under MBA Past President Sarinia M. Feinman and under the skillful leadership of Katherine Frechette, Esq. The additional ad-hoc committee members were: Craig Fleischmann, Esq., Shelly Grossman, Esq., Rebecca Hobbs, Esq., Cary McClain, Esq., Ken Milner, Esq., Leno P. Thomas, Esq., Robert Watson, Esq., and Carolyn Zack, Esq. The MBA Board of Directors unanimously approved the program at the September 21, 2022 meeting.

Any member who was interested in joining as a panelist was invited to attend a 3-day mediation training course, which was held both virtually and in-person at the MBA building in

February 2023. Those who were unable to attend the training were permitted to apply assuming they completed a similar accredited training program and met the panelist eligibility requirements.

Once a qualified panel of mediators is established, the MBA will begin to accept mediation requests. Parties interested in resolving their dispute via the program will submit a request for mediation by completing an agreement and selecting a mediator from the approved panel. The selected mediator will determine his or her availability and whether there is a potential conflict with the parties. Assuming there are no conflicts, mediation will proceed in accordance with the procedures of the program.

Again, only civil matters will be handled initially. To address Family Law matters, the MBA has scheduled an additional training session in the Fall of 2023 specifically for Family Law mediation.

Additional information can be found online at: montgomerybar.org/?pg=mediation-program.