2024 TMCA Symposium

REGISTER NOW FOR TMCA'S 2024 SYMPOSIUM!

WHEN: Saturday, October 26, 2024, 8:25 AM to 5:00 PM Central

HOW: LIVE VIA ZOOM*

By holding our Symposium via Zoom (only) at least every other year, TMCA’s goal is both affordability and accessibility for all participants. Also, this venue allows more flexibility around the choice of presenters. You will definitely see some fresh faces this year!

Veteran mediator and engaging presenter Eric Galton starts the day, taking us through the “time machine” of mediation from its origins to what lies ahead. Four of the sessions focus on trends in “early” dispute resolution (EDR)—with a morning session from dynamic duo Eric English and Pat O’Malley and two concurrent breakout sessions in the afternoon followed by a panel discussion. One of the breakout sessions will focus on early dispute resolution in family law and the other on the same within the civil law landscape. The panel will elicit important and timely discourse about social-emotional learning (SEL) and how it is shaping the future of mediation. Justice Debra Lehrmann returns for her welcomed update from the Supreme Court of Texas and our ethics hour will focus on the ethical implications of AI for mediators. We will learn a lot together! See you on Zoom!

Please view our program brochure for additional details.

 

Current Credential holders, please click here to login and register.

Non-Credential holders, please click here to complete our online registration form.

Registration fees:

  • $125 for current Credential holders
  • $150 for non-Credential holders

Please register by Friday, October 11th.

 

Presentations (6.5 hours [3 hours ethics]) CLE Course No. 174245017

  • Reflecting on the Origins of the Modern Mediation Movement, the Seismic Transformations Underway, and an Optimistic Peek into Our Future

Eric Galton

The session will take the audience into a “time machine” to see the dramatic growth of mediation from its humble early origins, the seismic transformations of the mediation process, the rise of virtual mediation, the advent of AI, and what the future holds for mediators in the next five years.

  • Empowering Informed Decisions: Mastering Effective Dispute Resolution for Early Settlements

Eric O. English and Pat O'Malley

Early Dispute Resolution (EDR) is not a new concept, yet its effectiveness has been questioned until recently. The effectiveness of mediation at any point in a dispute’s life cycle can be enhanced with the right approach—pre-session communications, exchanging information the parties need to make decisions, and focusing on risk assessments. These tools not only enhance the effectiveness of mediation, they are the cornerstones for mediators (and lawyers) ethically demonstrating to their clients how best to engage in early mediated settlement discussions.

  • The Delicate Balance of Artificial Intelligence: Ethical Implications for Mediators

Mary Ann Wymore

The use of AI comes with ethical and privacy challenges and many mediators are trying to find the balance between using data in an ethically sound manner while also remaining within the bounds of professional conduct. How do you draw a line in the sand as we all seek to formalize “just because we can, doesn’t mean we should”?

  • Latest from "The Supremes"

Justice Debra H. Lehrmann and Hon. John Coselli

Learn about the latest Texas cases affecting your mediation practice from Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann and her devoted side-kick, Judge John Coselli.

  • Early Dispute Resolution Trends in Family Law

Denise Coggiola and Melanie E. Grimes

There is, undoubtedly, an ever-growing trend toward parties seeking to resolve their divorce (and other types of discord) as amicably and cost-effectively as possible, without attorneys—mediating, more than ever, prior to filing for divorce. Learn how these two mediators work with pro se parties from start to finish and how each offers a different approach to the first steps in the process. Both will also share “lessons learned” mediating with pro se parties.

  • Successful Early Mediations: Effective Tips, Strategies, and Best Practices

        Panelists: Mary Cullen, Noah Hanft, and Chris Pappas

        Moderator: Felicia Harris Hoss

Through early mediation, parties can effectively resolve almost any dispute no matter the size or complexity. These veteran mediators and practitioners will discuss effective strategies mediators use to help parties open (and keep open) lines of communication to enhance the prospects of a successful early mediation. Join them in a discussion highlighting best practices mediators use to effectively assist parties in resolving even the most complicated disputes at an early stage. 

  • Building Bridges and Fostering Understanding: How Social-Emotional Learning Informs the Future of Mediation

        Panelists: Donna Black, Ondine Gross, Darcy Thompson, and Judy Wells

        Moderator: Angela Downes

This session explores the transformative power of social-emotional learning (SEL) in shaping the future of mediation. SEL is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions. As Texas school districts integrate SEL, character principles, and other conflict resolution strategies as part of mandatory curriculum, K-12 students are exposed to the tenets of mediation as a sustainable conflict resolution approach.

 

* To get the most out of our Symposium, we encourage live and interactive participation. We will also provide a recorded version for paid registrants which will be available through 4/30/25.