The Dispute Resolution Section educates, promotes, and supports a system that provides for the resolution of disputes outside of the formal judicial system. With the onset of the pandemic causing court closings, alternative dispute resolution provides the means to avoid the cost and delay of litigation - relieving court congestion, and providing a more cost-effective and constructive resolution of a legal issue between disputing parties.

The Section provides varied and interesting programs and benefits for its members, including monthly meetings where you can meet ADR practitioners (and get an hour of CLE credit) and receive a quarterly newsletter addressing ADR topics of interest.

During the 2019-2020 bar year the Dispute Resolution Section held monthly breakfast meetings at the Buckhead Club. Among the programs presented were programs on Body Language in Mediation; Mediating Intellectual Property Disputes; Breaking Deadlock; and Overcoming Language Barriers at Mediation. Even with the challenges created by the Covid 19 pandemic, the Section held meetings in April and May 2021 on virtual platforms.

Given the uncertainty of holding in-person meetings for the near future, we are planning to hold our Fall meetings on virtual platforms.

Save the Date

• September 23, 2020, the Dispute Resolution Section will partner with the Construction Law section presenting: Virtual Mediations and Arbitrations in the Age of Covid-19.
• October: Third Party Subpoenas in Arbitration (domestic vs international and 11th Circuit cases) featuring Shelby Grubbs (Miller & Martin, PC), and Glenn Hendrix (Arnall Golden Gregory, LLP), both well-known names in the international arbitration arena.

Board of Directors

The Officers and Board Members for the 2020-2021 year are: Chair Joyce Klemmer (JAMS); Vice-Chair/Chair-Elect Scott Zucker (Weissmann Zucker Euster Morochnik); Secretary/Treasurer Eileen Thomas (Eileen Thomas, LLC); Immediate Past Chair Charles Dalziel (Dalziel Law Firm); Members-at-Large Erika Birg (Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough); Jennifer Grippa (Miles Mediation & Arbitration Services, LLC); Gerald Kline (Taylor English Duma, LLP); Frank Lightmas (The Law Offices of Frank A. Lightmas Jr., LLC); Greg Presmanes (Bovis Kyle Burch & Medlin, LLC); Hon. Gail S. Tusan (JAMS); and Doug Witten (Bay Mediation & Arbitration Services).