Archive for the ‘Mediator Spotlight’ Category

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CFR Mediator Spotlight: Scott Berman

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Berman MediatorScott Berman, JD is a professional mediator who pairs his law degree with over 30 years experience in real estate and business. His legal experience gives him knowledge and expertise into law, while his business and real estate background provides perspective as an entrepreneur and master negotiator.

Mr. Berman was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Southern California Mediation Association (SCMA) and is an active member of several professional organizations and court mediator panels. He has conducted negotiations worldwide with an emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. Mr. Berman is sensitive to cultural values and international differences and has extensive experience working with Korean, Japanese, Chinese, and Hispanic disputants.

Regardless of the nature of the dispute, his approach to each mediation is to connect with all parties and facilitate a solution that advances the interests of all involved. Mr. Berman sees each case as unique. As a neutral, he strives to understand the position of each party, so that he can better guide them towards a creative, satisfactory and efficient closure to the conflict. His goal is a resolution that everyone agrees to and can live with.

Mr. Berman is an experienced mediator in a variety of disputes including divorce, business, real estate, wills, trusts and probate, construction, predatory lending, personal injury, employment and wrongful termination, as well as other civil matters.

CFR has expert mediators, like Mr. Berman, throughout the US. For mediation services from this provider, a California Mediator, or other CFR Certified Mediators, contact us.

CFR Mediator Spotlight: Donald Smith

Monday, December 14th, 2009

smith mediatorDonald R. Smith, PhD., has developed a reputation as an astute problem solver who is able to help parties resolve the most complex disputes. His counseling and crisis expertise aids him in helping both parties to see the issues and develop positive and creative ways of reaching agreement.

He views empowerment and confidentiality as key components in mediation. Approaching each mediation with the perspective that most want to resolve conflicts at an earlier point and in a less formal environment, he gives all parties an opportunity to be heard.

Dr. Smith is currently a certified and registered mediator and arbitrator in a variety of arenas, including civil, family, and healthcare. He is NASD registered, Business Insurance Underwriter certified, a published expert, and is a part-time Business Communication University Instructor.

Harvard Program on Negotiation certified and primarily mediating in the southeastern region of United States, Dr. Smith has also mediated and arbitrated cases in the Bahamas and Norway.

Testimonial from a Florida family/dependency judge:

Don, Once again, you did a fantastic job facilitating settlements in the Dependency Dispute Mediations. I truly value the skill set that you bring to the mediation table. Don, you have the patience of Job, the judgment of Solomon and the persistence of the Devil.

CFR has expert mediators, like Dr. Smith, throughout the US. For mediation services from this provider or other CFR Certified Mediators, contact us.

CFR Mediator Spotlight: Robert G. Bannon

Sunday, December 6th, 2009

Bannon MediatorMr. Bannon is a certified civil, county, and family mediator.

Prior to settling in his current home, Mr. Bannon practiced law in Connecticut and New York. He also served as a senior executive of a Fortune 500 company (First American Corporation) and as president of various real estate and insurance trade associations.

Mr. Bannon graduated with honors from Washington & Lee University School of Law where he served as Associate Editor of the Washington & Lee Law Review. While practicing law in Connecticut, he served on the Executive Committee of the Real Property Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and co-authored The Common Interest Ownership Manual published by the Connecticut Bar Association. He also served as Advisor to the Connecticut State Law Revision Commission on the “Common Interest Ownership Act” (condos, coops and HOAs).

Mr. Bannon is a member of the various professional mediator and family law organizations, including his current state bar association’s Family Law Section and its Mediation and Collaborative Law Committee. He is a panel mediator for local mandatory foreclosure mediation programs and is an active member of the Eagle Society of the Indian River Medical Center Foundation as well as other charitable and community organizations.

Mr Bannon has successfully mediated hundreds of cases. His mediation case interests include divorce, family issues, foreclosure, insurance, condo and HOA, as well as real estate disputes.

CFR has expert mediators, like Mr. Bannon, throughout the US. For mediation services from this provider or other CFR Certified Mediators, contact us.

CFR Mediator Spotlight: Mary Hoeller

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

Hoeller MediatorOriginally hailing from Wisconsin, Mary Hoeller, graduated from nurses training in 1974 and obtained her BA in psychology from the University of Hartford, in Hartford, Connecticut. She then moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, gaining her JD from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1982.

After graduating from law school Mary worked as an intern in labor arbitration and handled collective bargaining disputes for the steel workers and coal miners in the western Pennsylvania, West Virginia area. She became the first woman arbitrator on the Weirton, West Virginia Steel Company’s expedited arbitration panel for collective bargaining disputes. Mary next practiced as a staff attorney at a hospital in Pittsburgh. She supervised the defense of all employment discrimination and professional liability claims against the hospital and developed policies and procedures for its human relations departments.

In 1985, Mary settled into her current home and, in addition to her local practice, she has been admitted to practice before the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. Mary has been involved in environmental, asbestos and health coverage litigation, toxic torts, medical malpractice, personal injury and products liability cases. She has represented home builders and other companies, litigated employee disputes, and provided advice in employment related matters. In addition, she represents employees and employers in discrimination cases.

In the last five years Mary specifically turned her attention to Elder Law and the peaceful resolution of disputes, through mediation. She has domestic relations (family and divorce mediation), civil, eldercare, and foreclosure mediation training. She has written published articles on facilitative mediation as a model for Elder Mediation. In addition, she has written on the use of mediation in guardianship disputes and has given seminars on Medicaid laws.

CFR has expert mediators, like Ms. Hoeller, throughout the US. For mediation services from this provider or other CFR Certified Mediators, contact us.

CFR Mediator Spotlight: Nima Taradji

Sunday, November 29th, 2009

Taradji Attorney MediatorNima Taradji, JD is a CFR Certified Mediator. A practicing attorney and accomplished professional photographer, he has over 10 years experience in litigation and conflict resolution.

Officially participating in a mediation certificate program in 2007, Mr. Taradji immediately chose to join the distinguished mediators already paneled with CFR. Through mediation, Mr. Taradji is able to expand his reach to conflicts of all types, including divorce and other family disputes as well as civil, business, and personal injury cases.

He sees his role as mediator as one of assisting individuals, families, and businesses in creating solutions that work, both in the immediate and for the long-term. “I understand the difficulty unresolved conflict brings, and hope to facilitate a creative solution that meets the unique needs of every case. It is an honor to be the trusted mediator, and each case receives my utmost attention.”

In addition to being a CFR Certified Mediator and practicing litigator, Mr. Taradji has been sworn as an arbitrator for the Circuit Court of Cook County.

CFR has expert mediators, like Mr. Taradji, throughout the US. For mediation services from this provider or other CFR Certified Mediators, contact us.

Is CFR Mediation a referral service?

Sunday, November 30th, 2008

CFR Mediation is not a referral service.  We are an actual provider of mediation services, headquartered in Chicago with providers throughout the US.

Mediators apply to become a CFR Certified Mediator, a designation that assures our clients cases are mediated by highly qualified and experienced mediators.

Unlike referral services, CFR Mediation Coordinators work with both parties in every mediation case to ensure that the best CFR Certified Mediator is assigned to each case.  Clients receive high quality mediation services without having to try to pick someone out from an anonymous list of names.

Contact a CFR Mediation Coordinator for a free no-obligation consultation.

Who are CFR Certified Mediators?

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

CFR Certified Mediators are independent contracted mediation professionals who meet our quality standards in experience and training.  These individuals apply to be part of our panel of providers and are thoroughly vetted by our staff before being offered an opportunity to be a CFR Certified Mediator.

Clients who choose CFR, receive mediation services from highly qualified and experienced mediators, without having to research providers on their own.  A CFR Mediation Coordinator works with our clients to ensure that the best CFR Certified Mediator is assigned to conduct each mediation.

Mediation services from CFR Certified Mediators can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 866-922-2370 or by submitting our online form.

Choosing a Mediator

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Choosing a mediator can be a challenge.

The first challenge is finding qualified mediators. There are some websites that lists names of providers, some mediation providers (such as CFR) have informational websites and mediators in your area, friends and family members may have suggestions. Others look to the google searches on the Internet; ask trusted advisers such as therapists, doctors, pastors or rabbis; some resort to the old fashioned method of using the yellow pages. The information received from these sources vary. You may be able to get a good sense of a mediator, but not always.

It is also important to remember that there is no real certification or licensure of mediators. Some states have standards for mediators who are listed on their referral databases, but none have licensure requirements for mediators – unlike attorneys, psychotherapists, nurses, or realtors. Because of this, it is important that the a mediator or mediation provider is carefully vetted by those who will be participating in the mediation. You need to be sure that the mediator or mediation provider is going to be able to work well with your case. You are not just going to mediator to “try mediation” you are going to resolve the areas of conflict effectively and efficiently – you need someone who can be trusted and knows what they are doing.

Finding the mediator one person wants to use is often just part of the problem. Both parties to the dispute have to agree on the mediator. Suspicion is extremely common in conflicted relationships. If a divorcing husband chooses one mediator, the divorcing wife may wonder why “this” mediator, is the mediator going to be on the husbands side? Perhaps one spouse chooses a male, while the other spouse would prefer a female. Or the choice of a mediator comes down to a disagreement of whether an attorney or non-attorney mediator would be a better choice.

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CFR addresses these issues and is unlike other mediation providers. Personal attention is paid to each case, and resolution begins at the first contact.

  • Every case has a designated CFR Mediation Coordinator. This person facilitates the mediation and finds the CFR Certified Mediator best suited for the case. Parties in dispute do not have select the specific mediator, they simply have agree to choose CFR. The CFR Mediation Coordinator speaks to all involved and matches the case to  the mediator.
  • CFR Certified Mediators are selected to be providers due to their experience and expertise. CFR does not accept just any mediator, we vet each applicant to ensure they meet out high quality standards.
  • In addition, provider neutrality is ensured by program design. Parties do not have to worry that their case is affected by the initial contacts, much less preexisting thoughts or relationships.

Choosing a mediator can be a challenge. If it is an option choose a provider that takes the challenge out allowing you to focus on resolution.

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