Not Too Late and Other Programs News

• Training for health lawyers on how to handle conflict and coach healthcare clients to deal with it will take place Wednesday afternoon, February 20, in Miami Florida during the ABA's Emerging Health Issues Conference. Should be a great and important program. Deb Gerardi, Charity Scott and Jeanne Franklin are teaching. Check out the ABA Health Law Section website to register.
• A Virginia program on how lawyers and how mediators can better serve Veteran clients when trying to resolve their civil disputes was a success on January 26, 2013 during the Virginia Bar Association Annual Meeting. Good news: it will be offered again in June during the Virginia State Bar Association Annual Meeting. Request was also made for something like it to be offered to Virginia judges as well. The program focused on subtle cognitive deficits that persons injured with traumatic brain injury and PTSD may be suffering in silence. Mediators and lawyers need to be more aware, and can take concrete steps to optimize how a veteran participates in representing his/her interests. Bottom line: Hallway comments afterwards were that the lessons taught are applicable to much broader range of clientele. Think of employees and clients who might be suffering subtle cognitive diminishment due to a range of factors which add to the life of the dispute or questionable performance.
• On February 2, Jeanne Franklin served as a volunteer mediator during the George Mason University Law School Annual Advocacy in Mediation Competition. It is hopeful to observe law students practice problem solving and negotiation skills on behalf of clients. Kudos to the student participants, organizers and supporting faculty for pursuing such an important avenue.