Last time, I wrote about a New York Times article, by John Schwartz, “More Delicate Diplomacy for the Overseer of the Compensation Fund,” describing Kenneth Feinberg’s recent swing through Louisiana in his work as administrator of the BP claims fund. Feinberg’s work is often described as that of a mediator, which may be in a […]
Salesman, Politician, Mediator
In yesterday’s New York Times, John Schwartz’s article, “More Delicate Diplomacy for the Overseer of the Compensation Fund,” described Kenneth Feinberg’s swing through Louisiana. Feinberg is handling the BP compensation fund, in much the same way as he has done before, following the 9/11 attacks and various mass tort situations. As the article notes, even […]
Kenneth Feinberg: Mediator, Arbitrator, or Hybrid?
Kenneth Feinberg has been named as the independent administrator of the $20 billion fund BP has set up to compensate victims of the Gulf oil spill. After years in the thick of thorny, difficult issues, he was appointed as the special master of the federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and later worked as a […]
New Haven’s Community Mediation, Inc.’s Zampano awards
Earlier this month, New Haven’s Community Mediation, Inc. presented its annual Honorable Robert C. Zampano Awards for Excellence in Mediation. This year, the winners were federal Magistrate Judge Holly B. Fitzsimmons and attorney Richard A. Bieder. Both of this year’s winners had direct experience with the late Judge Zampano, an early advocate of mediation. In […]
Greece, the European Union, and Conflict Resolution
The saga of Greece and the European Union (EU) has attracted lots of analysis and opinion. Continuing to look at the situation from the conflict management perspective, now it’s time to move past conflict prevention and conflict reduction to conflict resolution. When the financial woes of Greece took center stage, the economically stronger members of […]
Greece, the European Union, and Conflict Reduction
Last time, I wrote from the conflict prevention perspective about the tough situation facing Greece and the European Union (EU). Assume for a moment that Greece’s admission to the EU was premature or simply not a good idea at the time, and that the decision was made nonetheless. Still, there were opportunities — missed — […]
Greece, the European Union, and Conflict Prevention
Much has been said and written about the difficult situation that Greece and the European Union (EU) face. I see it from the perspective of conflict prevention, conflict reduction, and conflict resolution. Regarding conflict prevention, there is talk that Greece was admitted to the EU before it was politically, and perhaps politically, ready. But that […]
April 2 is Reconciliation Day
Each year, April 2 is recognized as Reconciliation Day. The idea was launched by Ann Landers, the late advice columnist, who saw that mending fences — even if those fences had been broken for a long time — could be a good thing for those involved. Conflict resolution can involve reconciliation, a clean break, or […]
“ADR” in Haiti?
A NPR radio interview today was discussing the current, as well as pre-quake, legal system in Haiti. It has its fair share of challenges, and then some. What caught my ear was a question about whether efforts to address the legal questions that arise in the camps of displaced people, in the rebuilding efforts, and […]
Family business buy-out conflicts
Family businesses possess great strengths — and potentially devastating weaknesses. One weakness involves the challenge of planning for a day when some or all family members leave the business. On November 1, 2009, the New York Times ran an article by Charles V. Bagli titled “Flipping a Coin, Dividing an Empire.” In it, he described […]
