Profile

Work Experience & Education

  • Mediator, Chicago Mediation LLC, 2003 – present.
  • Certified Trainer, Center for Conflict Resolution, 2005 – present.
  • Volunteer Mediator, Center for Conflict Resolution, 2002 – present.
  • Adjunct Professor, DePaul University College of Law, 2006 – 2018
    • Faculty, Mediation and Advanced Mediation.
  • Member of the DePaul University College of Law Center for Dispute Resolution, 2006 – 2016
    • Faculty, 40-hour Mediation Certificate Training Course.
  • Contract Mediator, Cook County Mediation Foreclosure Program, 2011 – 2017.
  • Lead Trainer, Cook County Mediation Foreclosure Program, Center for Conflict Resolution, 2010 – 2017.
  • Mediate cases for Cook County Foreclosure Mediation Program, Chancery, Law, Probate and Domestic Relations Division and Municipal Department of the Cook County Circuit Court.
  • Facilities Manager at the Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School, 1998 — 2001
    • Coordinated the design and construction of a new school building and general facilities management.
  • Partner and Associate, Sachnoff & Weaver, 1977 – 1985
    • Specialized in real estate, condominium and general corporate law..
  • JD degree from the University of Chicago, 1977.
  • BA, Summa Cum Laude, from Lafayette College, Easton, PA, 1972.
  • Elected to Phi Beta Kappa in 1972.

Publications

Speaking Engagements

  • “Staying Neutral in a Biased World: The Neuroscience of Implicit Bias,” 2019 Southeast Conference on Conflict Management, Nashville, TN, May 2019.
  • “How Understanding Neuroscience and Stress Can Improve Your Mediation Skills,” Association of Attorney Mediators, Advanced Mediator Training, Charleston, SC, April 2019.
  • “Staying Neutral in a Biased World: The Neuroscience of Implicit Bias,” ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, Washington, DC, April 2018.
  • “Early Caucus: Using Neuroscience to Adapt Community and Family Mediation Models,” ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, San Francisco, California, April 2017.
  • “Gender, Bias and Implicit Bias,” JAMS New Panelist Training, Chicago, Illinois, April 2017.
  • “Venting in Mediation: Helpful or Harmful? Insights from Neuroscience,” Webinar for the American Bar Association, October, 2016.
  • “Venting in Mediation: Helpful or Harmful?” ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, New York, New York, April 2016.
  • “Effective Communication Skills,” Cook County Elder Law Justice Center volunteer training, Chicago, Illinois, November 2015.
  • “Emotions, Stress and Mediation Workshop,” ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, Seattle, Washington, April 2015.
  • “Saving the Joint Session: The Power of Face-to-Face Mediation,” Cook County Circuit Court ADR Seminar, Chicago, Illinois, April 2015.
  • “The Venting Myth Revisited,” Center for Conflict Resolution, Chicago, Illinois, February 2015.
  • “How Neuroscience Helps Mediators Resolve Conflict,” The Supreme Court of Ohio Dispute Resolution Section Symposium, full day workshop, Columbus, Ohio, October 2014.
  • “The Neuroscience of Conflict: Lessons for Mediators,” National Mediation Conference, keynote address, Melbourne, Australia, September 2014.
  • “Workshop: Neuroscience and Mediation,” National Mediation Conference, Melbourne, Australia, September 2014.
  • “Mediation and Neuroscience,” Marquette University Law School, February, 2014.
  • “How Neuroscience Helps Mediators Resolve Conflict,” Fourth Annual ADR Institute, full day workshop, Albuquerque, New Mexico, November, 2013.
  • “How Understanding Neuroscience Helps Mediators Resolve Conflict,” DePaul University College of Law Center for Dispute Resolution, October 2013.
  • “Neuroscience of Conflict: Lessons for Lawyers” DLA Piper Marbury Institute, international simulcast, October 2013.
  • “Can Neuroscience Help Mediators? Neural and Hormonal Events During Conflict,” American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution Spring Conference, Chicago, Illinois, April 2013.
  • “Strategic Approaches to Mediation: Understanding Your Options,” American Bar Association Annual Meeting, August, 2012 and Cook County Circuit Court Court-Annexed Mediation Program, October 2012.
  • “Getting Along: Conflict Resolution for Boards & Managers,” Chicagoland Cooperator’s Condo Expo, November, 2011.
  • “Conflict & Communication in Today’s Tense Environment,” Community Association Institute Annual Conference, January, 2011.
  • “A Demonstration of Different Approaches,” Association of Conflict Resolution National Meeting, September, 2010.
  • “Living in the Question,” Association of Attorney-Mediators, Chicago Chapter, July, 2010.
  • “Dealing with Conflict,” Community Association Institute, April, 2010.
  • “Mediation: A Demonstration of Different Approaches,” Cook County Circuit Court Court-Annexed Mediation Program, December, 2009.
  • “What’s Your Style? Divergence from and Convergence with the Facilitative Model,” Association for Conflict Resolution – Chicago Chapter, September 2009.
  • “Mediation Skills,” Chicago Bar Association, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, April, 2007.
  • “Mediation Skills,” Association for Conflict Resolution – Chicago Chapter, March 2007.

Training & Certification

Mediation Certifications

  • Circuit Court of Cook County Chancery Division Mediation Program, 2007
  • Circuit Court of Cook County, Law Division Court-Annexed Major Case Mediation Program, 2004
  • Circuit Court of Cook County Mandatory Arbitration Program, 2003
  • Center for Conflict Resolution, Performance-based certification, 2002

Mediation Training

  • Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute, 2012
  • Mediation Training and Consultation Institute, 40-hour Basic Training Workshop in Domestic Relations Mediation, July, 2009.
  • Pepperdine University, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Mediating Complex Construction Disputes, June, 2005.
  • Center for Conflict Resolution, Train the Trainer Course, August, 2005.
    DePaul University, Center for Dispute Resolution, 40-hour Mediation Training, April, 2005.
  • American Bar Association, Section of Dispute Resolution, Advanced Mediation and Advocacy Skills Training, October 2004.
  • Center for Conflict Resolution, 40-hour Performance Based Mediation Skills Training, May, 2002.

Professional License

  • Admitted to the Bar, Illinois, 1977.

Professional Associations

  • American Bar Association (Dispute Resolution Section)
  • Association of Attorney Mediators
  • Association of Conflict Resolution Chicago Chapter, Professional Development Committee, Past Co-Chair