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In 1986, the California Legislature passed the Dispute
Resolution Programs Act (DRPA) outlining the
guidelines for the provision of alternative dispute
resolution services in California.
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In 1991, Orange County adopted the DRPA act and
awarded the 1st dispute resolution contracts.
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Contracted agencies included:
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Community Service Programs, Inc.
Fair Housing Council of Orange County
Institute for Conflict Management
Orange County Human Relations Commission
The Mediation Center
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DRPA contracts required the
contracted agencies to
educate the community about
mediation in different ways
including through events like
an annual conference.
As a result, the agencies
formed a working group and
chose Mediation week in
March as the appropriate time
to hold the conference.
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The first conferences were on the Chapman
University campus.
In the early days, mediation work was done in the
community and with the various law enforcement
departments. The early speakers reflected those
communities.
Early conference speakers included:
• Mike Schumacher, Chief Probation Officer for Orange County
• Rusty Kennedy, Orange County Human Relations Commission
• Michael Niemeyer, Institute for Conflict Management
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Over the years, other
organizations joined in with
the conference committee
to expand the reach of the
conference.
The conference moved into
larger facilities and hotels.
Like many volunteer
operations, the committee
expanded and contracted,
often having to hire outside
conference planners.
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In 1998, the conference
provided a platform for
change for mediation in
Orange County.
Father Greg Boyle, gave
a moving talk which
raised the profile of
mediation in the county
by emphasizing the
power of peacemaking
processes in our
communities.
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Leaders in the
community and then
Presiding Judge
Kathleen O’Leary
worked together to
introduce mediation
into the Court.
The courts provided
another opportunity for
the role of the
mediation conference
to expand.

This expansion has included the participation of
several bench officers at Mediation Week Conference
events by:
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Former Presiding Judge Kathleen O’Leary
Former Presiding Judge Nancy Wieben Stock
Former Presiding Judge Kim G. Dunning
Judge Jamoa Moberly, Former Chair - DRPA Mediation Panel
Judge John Flynn, III, Chair - DRPA Mediation Panel
Judge Kirk Nakamura, Chair – Civil Mediation Panel
The OC Superior Court continues to provide strong
support to the role mediation plays in our courts
throughout county.
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The conferences have had various formats:
• Full-day, half-day and single seminar programs
• Creating opportunities for people to learn about mediation,
network with others and get involved in the work of mediation.
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Participants have included:
• Professionals in mediation practice (private, governmental and
non-profit), lawyers, business professionals, DRPA volunteers,
mental health professionals, educators, law enforcement and
public entity professionals, human resource personnel and
students.
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For 20 years, experts in the various fields of
mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) have presented outstanding workshops and
seminars at our conferences.
Workshops presented have covered a broad range
of practices in mediation and ADR including:
• Legal advocacy, business, employment, community, family
law, small claims, limited and unlimited civil, government,
health, real estate, school and youth
• Specific mediation skills building theories and
techniques
An Overview of Previous Mediation Conferences
A
Collaborative Training Program for
Legal, Business, Community and
Education Professionals
• Keynote Speaker: Leigh Steinberg
 This
conference offered a concurrent
Student (Youth) Mediation Conference
Mediating Dangerously
 Keynote Speaker:
Kenneth Cloke
 Multi
Cultural Mediation
• Seminar Presenter: Jan Sunoo
 Creating
Peace in Our Communities
Through Mediation (Cancelled)
• Keynote Speaker: Arun Ghandi
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The Committee became concerned that people
would not feel comfortable coming together
during war time and that Arun Gandhi might be a
target and have difficulty traveling to attend the
conference.
 Narrative
Mediation
• Seminar Presenter: John Winslade
Global to Local Perspectives on Conflict
Resolution Across Cultures
 Keynote Speaker: Stephen Thom
 The
Face of the OC Mediator
• Keynote Speaker: Presiding Judge Nancy Wieben
Stock, OC Superior Court
Building Peace in Our Community
 Keynote Speaker: Woody Mosten
 ADR
in Orange County
• Keynote Speaker: Kenneth Cloke
 Luncheon Speaker: Ivan Stevenson
OC Mediation Odyssey 2010
 Keynote Speaker: Presiding Judge
Kim G. Dunning, OC Superior Court
 Luncheon Speaker: Lee Jay Berman
 Celebrating
Mediation Week In the OC
• Keynote Speaker: Carrie J. Menkel-Meadow
Achieving Excellence: A Generation of
Mediation
 Keynote Speaker: Doug Noll
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The County of Orange has provided leadership and
sponsorship support of the DRPA program
administration from the formerly known Special
Programs Division, now OCWIB.
Wonderful Conference host sponsors like: Chapman
University, UCI and Coastline Community College
Multiple year partner organizations and previous
sponsors like FMCS, OCDE, AAA, OC Bar-ADR, SCMA,
etc.
Dedicated volunteer private and community mediators
THANK YOU FOR 20 YEARS!
 The
March 16, 2012
• Orange County Mediation Conference
• Committee Presents:
• Achieving Excellence:
A Generation of Mediation
8:30- 9:00 Sign in, MCLE forms, Network,
Breakfast
9:00 – 9:30
Welcome, Overview of Day
Resolutions Board of Supervisors
Thank you to:
Advisory Board Members
9:30 – 10:30
10:30 – 10:40
10:40 – 11:55
Judge John Flynn, III
Keynote: Doug Knoll
Break, snacks
First Round
Breakout Workshops
11:55 – 1:00
Lunch
Luncheon Speaker, Activity
1:00 – 1:10
Break
1:10 – 2:25
Second Round of Workshops
2:25 – 2:35
Break, Snacks
2:35 – 3:30
Third Round of Workshops
3:30- 4:00
Closing wrap up
Morning Key Note
Douglas Noll, Esq.