Many of us teach mediation courses focused on preparing students to serve as neutrals.
Our courses don’t focus much on preparing them to represent clients in mediation, a role they are far more likely to perform soon after graduation.
I just posted my latest Theory Meets Practice column for CPR’s Alternatives magazine, The Art of Mediation Representation: Helping Clients Make Good Decisions.
It outlines the theory and practice of mediation representation, drawing on Real Practice Systems checklists, recent research, and techniques of practical lawyering.  It emphasizes how attorneys can help clients make informed, confident decisions before, during, and after…
Continue Reading New Article on Mediation Representation – and an Invitation for a Conversation at the ABA DR Conference

It is with sadness that I pass along news of the demise of Dispute Resolution Magazine as we know it.  ABA DR Section Chair Susan Guthrie made the announcement in a recent email sent to the Section’s membership tying the decision to funding restraints.  As Co-Chair of the Editorial Board (along w/ our very own Jen Reynolds), I can vouch for that – nobody wanted this to happen.  The Section, along with all of the ABA, is suffering from serious financial difficulties like many other professional organizations are.  What saddens me the most is that the magazine has been a…
Continue Reading The ABA’s Dispute Resolution Magazine is dead. Long live Dispute Resolution Magazine !!

Facing a charge for driving under the influence (DUI) in Arizona can feel challenging or uncertain. Many defendants wonder how to beat a DUI in Arizona and pursue reliable strategies to protect their rights and minimize consequences. At The Law Offices of John Phebus Glendale Criminal and Personal Injury Lawyer, various proven legal strategies might be employed to enhance your defense.
The post 7 Arizona DUI Defense Lawyer Strategies for Winning Your DUI Case appeared first on The Law Offices of John Phebus Glendale Criminal and Personal Injury Lawyer.
Continue Reading 7 Arizona DUI Defense Lawyer Strategies for Winning Your DUI Case

When you file a petition for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona, as long as your case encounters no delays, you can expect to receive your order of discharge about four months after you file.

If you have an experienced bankruptcy lawyer to represent you, like the one at Stone Rose Law, your attorney will let you know your bankruptcy discharge date. Call us at (480) 739-2448 for help with your bankruptcy.

In this post, we cover ways to find out what your Chapter 7 discharge date is.

How Am I Notified of …
Continue Reading How Do I Know if My Chapter 7 Has Been Discharged?

An interesting question. The article suggests that between the party’s internal fragmentation, its members’ perception of a need for a change, Hogg’s hopes to primary a ton of moderates, and someone falling heir to Bernie Sanders’ network of donors and supporters, the party will likely go further “woke” when it should be heading the other way.

(We need a better title for “the other side.” Traditionally, they are called “the left,” but their core beliefs have almost nothing to do with left-vs-right. I mean — what did Karl Marx have to say about which bathroom a tranny male should…
Continue Reading Did David Hogg and AOC murder the Demo Party?

How External Investigators Evaluate “Conduct Unbecoming” CasesEmployee discipline in “at-will” employment is fairly simple—an employee can be disciplined for any reason or no reason, just not for an unlawful reason (race, sex, religion, whistleblower retaliation, etc.).  In public employment and unionized workplaces, however, the dynamic is different.  Due process rights and collective bargaining agreements usually mean discipline can only be imposed “for cause.”  This puts employers and rule-makers in the position of having to list, justify, and possibly negotiate what “for cause” means.  As a practical matter, there is no list comprehensive or exhaustive enough to cover every conceivable…
Continue Reading This Looks Bad

What some may know as “grand theft auto,” Arizona law calls theft of means of transportation as set forth in ARS 13-1814. Theft of means of transportation is a class 3 felony in Arizona, which can result in several years of prison time and hefty fines.

If you have been charged with theft of means of transportation, call AZ Defenders at (480) 456-6400 or use our contact form to get help from an attorney.

What Constitutes Theft of Means of Transportation?

ARS 13-1814 lists five definitions of what it means to commit theft of means of transportation:

  • Controlling

    • …
    Continue Reading Theft of Means of Transportation in Arizona: ARS 13-1814

    The Maricopa County Superior Court’s Probate and Mental Health Division held its quarterly Bench/Bar Conference on April 15, 2025, continuing its commitment to foster open dialogue and collaboration between the Maricopa County probate, trust and estate bench and bar. These meetings are a key opportunity for legal professionals in the probate field to receive updates, share concerns, and participate in shaping the future of probate proceedings in Maricopa County Superior Court.  The meeting was led by Hon. Commissioner Vanessa Smith.
    Key Takeaways from the April 2025 Session
    While the discussions ranged widely, the main highlights included:

      • Appointment Procedures: Practitioners

    …
    Continue Reading Connecting the Probate Legal Community: Highlights from the April 2025 Bench/Bar Conference

    In the competitive landscape of business, we often become consumed by working harder and longer than others as some type of badge of success. In the legal profession this comes in the form of billable hours, client demands, and the relentless pursuit of career advancement. Yet, a recent event has caused me to think about an uncomfortable truth about my profession and business in general: our time is fundamentally limited, and no amount of legal or business expertise can negotiate an extension on life’s most binding contract.

    The unexpected passing of a 35-year-old attorney who was a friend of mine…
    Continue Reading Work Hard, Play Hard: A Perspective on Life Balance

    In contrast to a prenuptial agreement, which stakes out each spouse’s position in case of divorce, premarital estate planning blend the spouses’ separate property into a financial union.

    By

    Ryan Scharber

    When Michael and Jessica, a 40-something engaged couple, made an appointment for premarital estate planning, we assumed (OK,

    I

    assumed) that they would want to create a

    prenuptial agreement

    .

    Wrong assumption. The couple made clear from the beginning of our meeting that they wanted nothing to do with a traditional prenuptial (or premarital) agreement, which they viewed as a divisive “what’s mine is mine” step in planning for…
    Continue Reading Premarital Estate Planning: When Marriage Is a Merger

    Many of the people we admire for their work on dispute resolution aren’t formally part of the dispute resolution community.  They include lawyers, judges, law professors, and others whose work embodies the spirit of our field – even when they use different language, work in other disciplines, or serve in different roles.
    Some time ago, I wrote a post, You Really Should Know About Kris Franklin, about a family law professor whose pedagogy and worldview reflect the deepest values of our field.  This post is in that same spirit.
    You really should know about John Inazu.
    John Inazu…
    Continue Reading You Really Should Know About John Inazu

    Facing a domestic violence charge may affect employment in a variety of ways, from limiting job prospects to impacting professional licenses. Many employers conduct background checks, and certain industries enforce strict zero-tolerance policies when it comes to criminal records. If you’re dealing with a domestic violence charge in Arizona, it’s important to realize how it could affect your career.
    The post How Does a Domestic Violence Conviction Affect Job Opportunities? appeared first on The Law Offices of John Phebus Glendale Criminal and Personal Injury Lawyer.
    Continue Reading How Does a Domestic Violence Conviction Affect Job Opportunities?

    Who doesn’t want to be loved? Love makes the world go round. Love can bring happiness, but it can also bring sadness and despair. Sadly, there are thousands upon thousands of scammers out there who look to make money from our desire to be loved. And make no mistake, many of them are very good at deception and separating perfectly rational people from their savings.

    Modern life makes it so much easier for romance scammers to locate victims and to fleece them. The internet affords us chat rooms, dating apps, message boards, Facebook, affinity groups and so much more. When…
    Continue Reading Looking For Love (In All The Wrong Places)

    Are you guilty of clicking “I Agree” to the terms and conditions without reading the fine print? If so, you’re not alone. Most online users today accept terms and conditions without truly understanding what they’ve agreed to—which tends to be the case with Instagram.
    When you sign up for Instagram, you agree to its Terms of Service, which dictates how the platform can use your content, data, and account. It also outlines rules that govern how users should interact on the platform. This post will examine sections of Instagram’s Terms of Service, explain your rights, and highlight potential risks.
    Content…
    Continue Reading Instagram’s Terms of Service: What You’re Really Agreeing To

    Despite being a card-carrying member of the if-it-ain’t-broke-don’t-fix-it school of innovation, I dove headfirst into the world of AI.
    Why?  Because it turns out to be amazingly useful.
    In a short piece, Technology and Me and You:  Getting Comfortable with AI, I reflect on how I came to develop the RPS Coach AI tool.  I explain why I think many of us – even some folks who now are wary of AI – will regularly use AI tools in thoughtful ways.
    My piece highlights a common misconception that AI simply spits out answers that we blindly accept, abdicating our…
    Continue Reading Why This Tech-Wary Curmudgeon Went All-In on AI – And You Might Too

    A conviction for driving under the influence (DUI) in Arizona includes as part of its sentence a suspension of your driver’s license. When this happens, a condition of reinstating your license is that you show that you have adequate automobile insurance. The proof takes the form of what is called an SR-22 certificate of financial responsibility.

    In this post, we cover when you can be required to have an SR-22 certificate added to your auto insurance policy, the effect this requirement will have on your insurance premiums, how long you will need to have an SR-22 insurance certificate form filed…
    Continue Reading SR-22 Insurance Requirements After DUI in Arizona