RI Mediators Association 

Advancing Quality Mediation in Rhode Island

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News & Tid-bits of Interest to RI Mediators.
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  • Thursday, November 20, 2014 4:47 PM | Anonymous

       RIMA NEWSLETTER      NOVEMBER 2014

     

    A MEDIATOR MOMENT

     

     

    RIMA NEWSLETTER  #2                          NOVEMBER 2014

     

     
    Judge Bedrosian receives National Adoption Recognition Award 
    Tuesday, September 11, 2012 
     
    R. I. Family Court Chief Judge receives national adoption recognition award Rhode Island Family Court Chief Judge Haiganush R. Bedrosian was one of 140 people from across the United States recognized by a congressional group for outstanding advocacy in adoption or foster care issues.
    The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute honored Chief Judge Bedrosian and the others at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2012 as part of its “Angels in Adoption” program. The program provides members of Congress the opportunity to honor individuals, couples organizations from their districts who have made extraordinary contributions on behalf of children in need of homes.?
    Chief Judge Bedrosian is the first woman to lead the Rhode Island Family Court...(READ MORE) 
     
    RI Family Court Announces
     National Adoption Day
     Saturday, November 22, 2014
     
    Rhode Island Family Court Chief Judge Bedrosian and the Rhode Island Judiciary will be sponsoring a special event to celebrate the 11th  National Adoption Day on November 22,  2014. Our event will coincide with events being planned across the United States on this day to draw attention to the adoption process and the large number of children available for adoption.  The Court will be finalizing twenty-one (21) adoptions with sixteen (16) different families.   Many sponsors and community agencies have joined in the Celebration.
      
     The Celebration will begin at 9:00 a.m. on the 5th Floor of The Garrahy Judicial Complex. Many community sponsors are involved:...(READ MORE) 

    Welcome to your newsletter.

     

     

    The Rhode Island Mediators Association has been in existence for 6 years.  During that time, we have held numerous trainings, provided several opportunities to network and had a number of social events, namely, the highly successful yearly Celebrate Mediation RI event in May and the September Kickoff.  

     

     

    We will keep you updated via emails of trainings being offered by RIMA and others.  

     

    Building relationships is an ongoing focus at RI Mediators Association, and we will continue to work on "Advancing Mediation in Rhode Island."

     

    Welcome to a new program year at RI Mediators Association.  Your support and participation are important to the success of the organization, and we look forward to seeing you throughout the year.

                                                                               Warm Regards, 

                                                                                                          

    Frank P. Geremia

     

    RIMA EXPANDS BOARD

     

    Two New Directors were elected to the expanded Board at RIMA's General Membership Meeting at the 1149 Restaurant on September 16th. The two were nominated by the existing Board and ratified by the membership at that meeting.

     

    We welcome Erica Janton and Andy Wunsch to the Board.

     

      

    Newly Elected Officers

     

    2014-2016
    Officers and Board
     
    • President: Bruce I. Kogan
    • Vice President and President-Elect: Jeremy W. Howe
    • Secretary: Michele Gousie Geremia
    • Treasurer: Frank P. Geremia
    Directors
    Board Member: Madeleine B. Bass
    Board Member: Bryna B. Bettigole
    Board Member: Margie Caranci
    Board Member: Erica Janton
    Board Member: Andy Wunsch 
     
    Executive Director
    Frank P. Geremia
     
     

     

    Prof. Bruce I. Kogan Receives Distinguished Service Award from RWU Law School 

    Tuesday, June 03, 2014
     
    The "Distinguished Service Award" was presented to Professor Bruce Kogan at the 2014 Roger Williams University  Law School graduation ceremony.  The award was presented by Law School Dean David Logan and recognizes Professor Kogan for his 21 years of contribution to the training and mentoring of new lawyers and to Roger Williams University and it's Law School. 
    Professor Kogan is a founding member of Roger Williams Law faculty, and has served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Interim Dean...(READ MORE)
     

     

     

    Annual September Kickoff Event 2014

     

    The Annual Kickoff Event was held on Thursday, September 16, 2014.  We had thirty-four attendees at the Eleven Forty Nine Bar and Grill in Seekonk, MA.  The highly successful evening included: 

     

    • Annual General Membership Meeting
    • Approval of Slate of Officers and Board Members  
    • Announce  RIMA Training & Workshops for 2014-15
    • Keynote Speaker:  Ben Johnson, Ph.D.

     

    Thank you to everyone who attended for making the evening and the event such a success.

     


    Is your membership due?  Does it seem like it has been a long time since you renewed your membership?  Our new membership management system reaches out up to 3 times to let  you know that your membership is due.  As time goes on, however, we may not have your current contact information.  If you want update your membership, you can do so online, or by mailing your membership dues ad informatin to RI Mediators Association at the address listed below.  If you are not sure if your membership is due, contact us at exec@rimediators.org. We are happy to assist.

    RI Mediators Association                                                                    

    9 Juniper Court                                                                                       
    Bristol, RI 02809

    401-253-2458

    exec@rimediators.org

    http://www.rimediators.org/

  • Wednesday, November 12, 2014 9:18 PM | Anonymous

    RIMA held another successful Training Workshop on November 12, 2014 at Roger Williams University Law School.  

      Selected Attendees' Comments 
     
    "Great presentation on dividing retirement assets @rimediators - looking forward to the next one!" 
     
    "Tonight's seminar was excellent. Thanks!"
      
    "Presenters were clearly extremely knowledgeable & experienced. Materials are a great resource."
     
    "A little more advanced than I will need, most likely, but I know who to send my clients to!"
     
    "It was information filled and I did pick up a few bits of information that will be helpful."
     
    95% of respondents rated Event as "Reasonable Value" or "I Loved It!" 
     
  • Tuesday, June 03, 2014 1:42 PM | Anonymous

    A "Distinguished Service Award" was presented to Professor Bruce Kogan at the 2014 Roger Williams University  Law School graduation ceremony.  The award was presented by Law School Dean David Logan and recognizes Professor Kogan for his 21 years of contribution to the training and mentoring of new lawyers and to Roger Williams University and it's Law School.  
    Professor Kogan is a founding member of Roger Williams Law faculty, and has served as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Interim Dean.  As both Director of RWU’s Mediation Clinic and an instructor of Dispute Resolution, He and his students have worked with the Rhode Island court system by providing alternatives to litigation.  The Mediation Clinic mediates a wide range of cases including small claims, landlord-tenant disputes, and a full range of family court issues including child custody, visitation, child support and full divorces.  In 2009, the Mediation Clinic handled in excess of 200 conflicts. 
    In addition to Dispute Resolution, Professor Kogan teaches Property and Trusts and Estates.
    Active in the Rhode Island legal community, and a promoter of mediation and alternative dispute resolution, Professor Kogan is one of the co-founders for the first non-profit organization for professional mediators in the state, the Rhode Island Mediators Association.  He also serves as an advisory board member at the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Island and is active with the New England Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution.  Professor Kogan served as an appellate attorney in the Tax Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and then practiced law for almost ten years in Pennsylvania with the law firm Kogan & Smigel.  His practice concentrated on taxation, business and estate planning, for-profit and non-profit corporations, and real estate. 
    Professor Kogan earned his B.A. from Syracuse University, his J.D. cum laude from Dickinson School of Law, and his LL.M. from Georgetown University
     “Since the inception of the Roger Williams Law School and the RWU Mediation Clinic, Prof. Kogan has been a recognized leader and key to the promotion of mediation in Rhode Island" said Frank P. Geremia, current President of the Rhode Island Mediators Association. 
    "Prof. Kogan personifies the depth and temperament required of the best mediator and teacher." Geremia added.   "He is always ready to share his experience and knowledge, and we have come to rely upon him for that."   

  • Monday, June 02, 2014 6:00 PM | Anonymous

     Any RIMA event can be added to your calendar program including MS Outlook, Apple iCal, and Google Calendar. 

    To add an event to your calendar, go the event page and open the event details. In the top-right corner of the event details, click Add to my calendar.

    An .ICS (iCalendar) file will be generated containing the event details and a link to the event page. The file will be downloaded via your browser.

    You can now import the downloaded .ICS file into most calendar programs, including MS Outlook, Apple iCal, and Google Calendar. Your calendar program will automatically use the timezone of the event to set the equivalent event time in your calendar.

    Importing .ICS files into MS Outlook

    To import the .ICS file into MS Outlook, follow these steps:
    1.From your download folder, double click the .ICS file.
    2.Click the Open button.
    3.Enter any notes then click Save and Close.

    or:
    1.In Outlook, click the File menu or tab and select the Open > Import or Import and Export option (depending on your version of Outlook).
    2.Select Import an iCalendar (.ics) or vCalendar file (.vcs) then click Next.
    3.Find the downloaded .ICS file then click on OK.
    4.Click Import.

    Importing .ICS files into Apple iCal

    To import the.ICS file into Apple iCal, follow these steps:
    1.From your download folder, double click the .ICS file.
    2.From the Add Events dialog that appears, select the calendar where you want the event to appear.
    3.Click OK.

    or:
    1.Open iCal.
    2.Click the File menu and select Import.
    3.Find the downloaded .ICS file.
    4.Click Import.
    5.Select the calendar where you want the event to appear.
    6.Click OK.

    Importing .ICS files into Google Calendar

    To import the .ICS file into Google Calendar, follow these steps:
    1.In Google Calendar, click the down-arrow next to Other calendars.
    2.Select Import calendar from the menu that appears.
    3.Click Choose file and find the downloaded .ICS file then click Open.
    4.Select the Google Calendar where you'd like the event to appear, then click Import.

  • Thursday, March 13, 2014 5:02 PM | Anonymous

    All RIMA Members have received a Pocket Edition of the Mediators Code of Conduct which spell out the nine standards adopted by the by the American Arbitration Association(AAA), the American Bar Association (ABA), the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR) and the Rhode Island Mediators Association for the conduct of Mediators. 

    Spelled out are Standards for:

    STANDARD I. SELF-DETERMINATION
    STANDARD II. IMPARTIALITY
    STANDARD III. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
    STANDARD IV. COMPETENCE
    STANDARD V. CONFIDENTIALITY
    STANDARD VI. QUALITY OF THE PROCESS
    STANDARD VII. ADVERTISING AND SOLICITATION
    STANDARD VIII. FEES AND OTHER CHARGES
    STANDARD IX. ADVANCEMENT OF MEDIATION PRACTICE

  • Wednesday, November 20, 2013 2:26 PM | Anonymous

    Rhode Island Family Court Announces
    National Adoption Day
    Saturday, November 23, 2013

    “I AM HOME”
    A Celebration of Adoption and Foster Care

    PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island Family Court Chief Judge Bedrosian and the Rhode Island Judiciary will be sponsoring a special event to celebrate the 10th  National Adoption Day on November 23, 2013. Our event will coincide with events being planned across the United States on this day to draw attention to the adoption process and the large number of children available for adoption.  The Court will be finalizing eighteen (18) adoptions with fourteen (14) different families.   Many sponsors and community agencies have joined in the Celebration.
     
    The Celebration will begin at 9:00 a.m. on the 5th Floor of The Garrahy Judicial Complex. Many community sponsors are involved:  Dunkin Brands; HASBRO; Pawtucket Red Sox; Cardi Brothers; Adoption Rhode Island, Foster Forward; Pepsi; Say Cheese Photography, local restaurants, etc.
     
    Speakers include: Chief Judge Haiganush R. Bedrosian of Rhode Island Family Court; Chief Justice Paul Suttell of the Supreme Court; Janice De Frances, Executive Director, Department of Children, Youth and Families, Nick, Ron and Pete Cardi and special guests: Gayle Goldin and her husband Jeff Levy and their sons Zach and Jonah who will speak about their family’s experience with adoption. Gayle and Jeff adopted Jonah at the first RI Family Court National Adoption Day held on November 20, 2004.
     
      DATE:  SATURDAY, November 23, 2013

      TIME:  9:00 a.m.

      LOCATION: Rhode Island Family Court -  5th Floor
         One Dorrance Plaza
         Providence
          
    TOPIC: NATIONAL ADOPTION DAY
     “I Am Home”- A Celebration of Adoption and Foster Care

    If you would like more information, contact: 
    RI Family Court 401-458-5026

  • Monday, October 01, 2012 12:52 PM | Anonymous

     

    A MEDIATOR MOMENT

     

     

    RIMA NEWSLETTER  #1                          OCTOBER 2012

     

     

    Letter From the President                                             

     

     

    Welcome to our first newsletter.

     

    This has been a long time in the planningSo, bear with us as we refine our content and strive to bring you updated information about mediation and keep you in the loop about the hard work we are doing in the field.

     

    The Rhode Island Mediators Association has been in existence for 4 years.  During that time, we have held numerous trainings, provided several opportunities to network and had a number of social events, namely, the highly successful yearly Celebrate Mediation RI event in May and the September Kickoff.  Both exceeded our expectations this year.

     

    Our theme for last year was "bridging the gap", namely, the gap between mediation training and experience as a mediator and with building a mediation practice.  This year we will continue to work in this area.

     

    Recently, we introduced 3 great Peer Groups, led by skilled, experienced mediators, open to all levels of mediation experience, and affording you opportunities to engage in discussions regarding various mediation topics of importance to you, from the practicalities of building a practice to high level skills, and providing support along the way.  For more information, click here.

     

    We will keep you updated via emails of trainings being offered by the Community Mediation Center of Rhode Island.  Hopefully, you have received their recent notice of an upcoming training "Mental Health and Mediation: A Universal Design Approach."  Click here for more information

     

    Of tremendous importance, this past year, have been our efforts to build relationships with the RI courts.  We have met on two occasions with Chief Judge Haiganush Bedrosian of the RI Family Court, and have included in our discussions and events, Chief Justice of the RI Supreme Court, Paul Suttell and Presiding Justice of the RI Superior Court, Alice Gibney.  Building relationships is an ongoing focus at RI Mediators Association.

     

    In closing, I want to welcome you to a new year at RI Mediators Association.   

    Your support and participation are important to the success of the organization, and we look forward to seeing you throughout the year.

     

                                                                                Warm Regards,

                                       

                                                                                                         

     

                                                                                 Frank P. Geremia

     

     

    Upcoming Trainings at RIMA

     

     

     

     

      

     

     

     

     

     

    Wednesday, November 14, 2012

     

     


    WHAT MEDIATORS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BANKRUPTCY IN DIVORCE

     

    Two hour training by Christopher M. Lefebvre, Esquire.  As Mr. Lefebvre states:  “I am convinced that 50% of the contested divorce cases could be resolved if clients took a “financial audit” with an eye towards effectively addressing marital debt.”

     

      

    Click Here for More Information
     

     

    Wednesday, October 10, 2012

     

     

    MY MEDIATOR MISSTEPS

     

    Open discussion for members in which pre-designated discussion leaders will share examples of techniques or approaches they have used mediating that did not work as well as they had hoped. 
    Participants are encouraged to share their ideas about what else a mediator might do if faced with a similar challenge.

     


    EXCLUSIVELY FOR MEMBERS

     

    Click Here for More Information

    and to Register

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Featured Article

     

    Let Mediation Put You in the Driver's Seat

    by Madeleine Butterfield Bass, Esq.

     

     

    “Mediators are lawyers who are afraid to litigate.”

     

                That was the comment of a law professor to me when I discussed my desire to focus my practice on alternative dispute resolution.  Ignoring the glaring and erroneous generalization, his sentiments sounded like a challenge to me.  Sure, litigation can be exciting, challenging and rewarding. Litigation is the ‘thrill seeking’ side of the law.    So, why would an attorney seek to resolve disputes in any other way?  CONTROL!

     

                Litigation is a wild ride, but ultimately, it’s the judge in the driver’s seat.  A litigator can draw the map and explain why their way is the fastest, the most direct or the most scenic. They can even advocate off-road travel.  But, in the end, the judge decides what route to take, what speed to go and when they arrive at their destination.  The litigators and...

     

    click here to read entire article:   http://rimediators.org/member_articles/

     

     

    Initially published in the RI Bar Journal, Let Mediation Put You in the Driver's Seat

    May/June 08:25(56).

     

     

     

    Write an article for a future newsletter

     

    We are seeking one article each quarter featuring some aspect of mediation.

    If you would like to send in an article you have written, we will publish it in the newsletter and then put it online at www.rimediators.org. Please send your article to:  RI Mediators Association, 9 Juniper Court, Bristol, RI 02809.

     

    Pictures from Annual September Kickoff Event 2012

     

    The Annual Kickoff Event was held on Thursday, September 20, 2012.  We had thirty-three attendees at the Eleven Forty Nine Bar and Grill in Seekonk, MA. 

     

    Tamara Johnson of Studio Amis was the photographer taking wonderful pictures during the evening.  Youi can see two of her photographs below, and if you click here, you can view several photographs posted on the RI Mediators Association website.

     

    Madeleine Butterfield Bass was the winner of the 11149 Bar and Grill Sunday Brunch Gift Certificate and Clare Jabour won the Happy Pumpkin, shown in the picture below.

     

    Thank you to everyone who attended for making the evening and the event such a success.

     

                                                          

         

                                           

     

     

     

      

     

     

     

    To view more pictures.......

     

     

     

                 Member Survey

     

    Please take a moment to respond to the two questions

    posed in our survey below. 

     

    SURVEY _ CLICK HERE

     


     


    Is your membership due?  Does it seem like it has been a long time since you renewed your membership?  Recently, we tried to reach out via email and renewal postcards to let some of you know that your membership is due.  As time goes on, however, we may not have your current contact information.  If you want update your membership, you can do so online, or by mailing your membership dues to RI Mediators Association at the address listed below.  If you are not sure if your membership is due, contact us at exec@rimediators.org. We are happy to assist.

    RI Mediators Association                                                                    

    9 Juniper Court                                                                                       
    Bristol, RI 02809

    401-253-2458

    exec@rimediators.org

    http://www.rimediators.org/

  • Tuesday, September 11, 2012 1:38 AM | Anonymous

    R. I. Family Court Chief Judge receives national adoption recognition award Rhode Island Family Court Chief Judge Haiganush R. Bedrosian was one of 140 people from across the United States recognized by a congressional group for outstanding advocacy in adoption or foster care issues.

    The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute honored Chief Judge Bedrosian and the others at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., on September 11, 2012 as part of its “Angels in Adoption” program. The program provides members of Congress the opportunity to honor individuals, couples organizations from their districts who have made extraordinary contributions on behalf of children in need of homes.

    Chief Judge Bedrosian is the first woman to lead the Rhode Island Family Court, where she has served since 1980. She has undertaken numerous initiatives to improve the lives of children and families served by the court. In January, she hosted the first statewide conference that brought together the Family Court, the Department of Children Youth and Families, and the Department of Education to ensure that all stakeholders were working together to support the educational success of children. In attendance were more than 600 teachers, school personnel, social workers, lawyers, law enforcement officers and court staff.

    She has served on numerous task forces, boards and commissions that have looked out for the interests of children and their families in the judicial system. She has presided over countless adoptions for families across Rhode Island.

    The award ceremony was followed the next evening by a gala at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington. National awards were presented to actress Katherine Heigl, singer/songwriter Josh Kelley, and PEOPLE Magazine.

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Rhode Island Mediators Association
9 Juniper Court
Bristol, RI 02809

401-253-2458

 

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