AGENDA              

8:00 - 9:00           Registration and continental breakfast

9:00 - 9:10           Welcome and opening remarks:

                                    James Alfini, Dean of South Texas College of Law

                                    Austin M. O’Toole, Chair of Houston Bar Association ADR Section

9:10 – 9:40           Re-Energizing: Some Different DR Approaches—An Old Method Getting

                                A New Look, and a New System to Consider

                                Speaker: David Lopez, Houston, Texas Attorney, Mediator and Arbitrator

9:40 – 10:30        Arbitration Developments and Conflicts  (Emerging Trends, Practice Tips And Other Information) 

                               Speaker: Ben H. Sheppard, Jr., Distinguished Lecturer and Director,

                               A.A. White Dispute Resolution Center, University of Houston Law Center

10:30 – 10:45       MORNING BREAK

10:45 – 11:15     How to be a More Effective Negotiator in Mediation
                              Trey Bergman, Houston, Texas Attorney, Mediator and Arbitrator    

11:15 – 12:05     Ethics: Proposed Changes to the State Bar of Texas Mediators

                              Code of Ethics and Other Ethical Matters

                              Speaker: Walter Wright, Professor, Texas State University

12:05 – 12:55      LUNCH

                               ADR Developments in the Texas Legislature and Other Horizons in Austin State Capitol  

                               Speaker: George Christian, Lobbyist,  Austin , Texas

12:55 – 1:15       BREAK

1:15 – 1:45         Ethics: American Bar Association Report on the Quality of Mediation

                              Speaker: Honorable John Coselli, Judge, 125^th Judicial District Court

1:45 – 2:15         Collaborative Law is ADR Too

                              Speaker: Harry Tindall, Houston, Texas , Family and Collaborative law Attorney   

2:15 – 2:30       American Arbitration Association Update

                            Andrew Barton, Vice President, AAA

2:30 – 2:45        Harris County Dispute Resolution Center Update

                             Speaker: Nick Hall, Executive Director, DRC

2:45 – 3:00        AFTERNOON BREAK

3:00 – 3:30        Ethics: The Danger in Mediation Evaluation: Mediators risk malpractice and

                             Negligence liability for failure to warn and obtain informed consent

                             Speaker: Honorable Bruce Wettman, former District Court Judge

3:30 – 4:00       Ethics: Personal Challenges a Mediator Faces Before and During a Mediation

                            Speakers: Eileen Miggins Hohlt, Houston, Texas Attorney and Mediator;

                            W. Jerry Hoover, Houston, Texas Attorney, Mediator and Arbitrator;

                            Rick Flake, Houston, Texas  Attorney and Litigator

4:00                    ADJOURN