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IMI Certification available from January 1, 2009
IMI Independent Standard Commission has finalized the details of the Experience Qualification Path to IMI Certification which will begin on January 1, 2009.
CEDR Awards for Excellence in ADR - Innovation & International
London, 12 November 2008
MICHAEL MCILWRATH of General Electric, joint Vice-Chair of the IMI Independent Standards Commission, won the 2008 CEDR Award for Excellence in the Innovations Category for his International Dispute Negotiation podcasts which were judged to provide thought-provoking content on important issues for the ADR community. To access the podcasts on mediation please click here.
The CEDR Award for Excellence in the International Category was won by TOKISO DISPUTE SERVICES. CEDR cited Tokiso as a pioneer in the commercial field, building on a long tradition in labour disputes, having worked to establish best practice and created a sophisticated professional development structure, whilst promoting stimulating debate on ADR in the media of South Africa. Tokiso is listed in Category 2 of the IMI Experience Qualification Path.
For full details of the CEDR Awards for Excellence 2008 please click here.
IMI Presented at the 9th biennial Australian National Mediation Conference in Perth, September 9-12, 2008
How Mediators Can Obtain Professional Certification
Dispute Resolution Journal (August/October 2008 Edition) carries an article by Judith Meyer, Co-Vice Chair of IMI's Independent Standards Commission, and Michael Leathes, executive director of IMI - How Mediators Can Obtain Professional Certification And Thereby Elevate Their Profession: A look at IMI's voluntary credentialing program.
To download the full article please click here
Mediation Knol - Finding an International Mediator
July 29, 2008
Finding an International Mediator is one of the first mediation Knols. Authored by Michael McIlwrath, a Vice-Chair of IMI's Independent Standards Commission, the Knol raises the issue of identifying suitable candidates to mediate an international commercial dispute. The Knol is an extract from the forthcoming book to be published by Kluwer Law International in 2009 on International Dispute Resolution co-authored by Michael McIlwrath of GE and John Savage of Shearman & Sterling.
In December 2007, Google created a new tool called Knol (meaning a unit of knowledge). Similar to Wikipedia, a Knol differs in a number of ways -- a Knol on a subject identifies the author and can be contributed to by anyone, but the authors or their designees can veto changes and additions. Finding an International Mediator is set up as an open Knol to invite edits to the article. Those edits will be moderated by a group of 5 invited experts: Wolf von Kumberg of Northrop Grumman Corporation, IMI Chairman; Diane Levin, Boston-based mediator and publisher of Mediation Channel blog and the Directory of ADR Blogs; Jeremy Lack, Geneva-based mediation advocate with Altenburger; Melanie Meilhac, director of the ICC's ADR services [provisional] and Giovanni Nicola Giudice, director of mediation services for the Court of National and International Arbitration of the Milan Chamber of Commerce.
To visit and contribute to the Knol please click here
Structure for IMI Certified Mediator Competency Scheme announced by Independent Standards Commission
The Hague, July 14th 2008
The Independent Standards Commission convened by IMI to draw up a global mediator competency certification standards has announced the structure of the Scheme, coupled to IMI’s proposed Mediation Information Program.
To go to press-release please click here
To download press-release in A4 formart please click here
To download press-release in US formart please click here
Members of the Legal Committee of the American Chamber of Commerce in The Netherlands voted to express their views on mediator competency certification.
Amsterdam, June 5th 2008
Members of the Legal Committee of the AmCham in The Netherlands, overwhelmingly comprising users of mediation services, received a presentation by Michael Leathes on IMI's work to date, and following a discussion were then asked the same 12 questions put to the AAA Annual Meeting on May 9th. They were not shown the AAA Annual Meeting results until after they had voted.
To download the results of the AmCham Legal Committee voting pleaseclick here
To download the comparative results of voting at AmCham Legal Committee Meeting and AAA 2008 Annual Meeting please click here
Delegates at AAA Annual Meeting use electronic voting to express their views on mediator competency certification
Washington DC, May 9th 2008
Participants at AAA's 2008 Annual Meeting spent two hours focusing on mediator competency certification. Presentations by Wolf Von Kumberg of Northrop Grumman Corporation, Nancy Lesser of PAX ADR LLC, Christopher Honeyman of Convenor Conflict Management and Michael Leathes of IMI were followed by a discussion. Then 12 questions, with a selection of multi-choice answers, were posed to the delegates who used individual electronic keypads to register their opinions on the subject in secret ballot format.
To download Michael Leathes' presentation on IMI please click here
To download the results of the electronic voting please click here
To download Wolf Von Kumberg's' presentation on IMI please click here
To download Christopher Honeyman's' presentation on IMI please click here
CPR ALTERNATIVES
Mediators' Alert: Now, Certification Goes Global
March 2008
Judith Meyer, joint Vice-Chair of IMI's Independent Standards Commission, explains in a lead article in CPR Institute's award-winning monthly publication ALTERNATIVES why mediation's thought-leaders have a golden opportunity right now to help shape the future of mediation in a marketplace increasingly seeking transparent high standards of competency and professionalism.
To read the article please click here
To download the article as it appears in CPR Alternitives please click here
To subscribe to CPR Alternatives please click here
Update Article by IMI's executive director
Michael Leathes, executive director of IMI, overviews the reactions received so far to IMI's draft proposals.
To read the article please click here
The Final Report of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Task Force on Improving the Quality of Mediation
The Final Report of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution Task Force on Improving the Quality of Mediation was published on February 16th 2008.This Report highlights the views of US focus groups, which included users and mediators, on some key selection criteria - such as whether users want to select mediators having subject matter knowledge, and mediator style (eg traditional, facilitative, transformative).
To read the Report please click here
Interview with the two Vice-Chairs of
IMI Independent Standards Commission
Leslie Mooyaart, former Legal Director of KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, now a full time professional mediator and founder of The Resolution Group in The Hague asks Judith Meyer, JP Meyer & Associates, Haverford, PA, USA, and Michael McIlwrath, Senior Counsel Litigation, GE Oil & Gas, Florence, Italy, Vice-Chairs of the IMI Independent Standards Commission… 10 Questions about Mediator Competency Certification.
To read the interview please click here
IMI Convenes an Independent Standards Commission
The Hague, January 24, 2008
The International Mediation Institute has convened an Independent Standards Commission to recommend International Competency Standards for Mediators.
To go to press-release please click here
How are major international corporations using ADR?

In November 2007, Herbert Smith published the results of a survey called The Inside Track - How Blue-Chips Are Using ADR. The Survey covered in-depth responses from 21 corporations having combined gross sales of over $800 billion. See the Survey results, plus an ADR Toolkit prepared by the firm in light of the research to assist in-house counsel make better use of ADR.
IMI Presentation to ACMI
Phoenix, October 24th 2007
IMI was presented to the annual meeting of Advanced Commercial Mediation Institute in Phoenix on October 24th by Neil Carmichael, Vice President, U.S. & International Mediation Services, American Arbitration Association.
To view his presentation slides please click here
IMI Interviewed by ABA
ABA Journal October edition
IMI was featured in the October edition of the ABA Journal.
To read the article please click here
Wolf Von Kumberg Appointed Chair of IMI
The Hague, September 28th 2007
IMI is pleased to announce that Wolf Von Kumberg has accepted an invitation to become Chairman of IMI’s Board of Directors
Wolf von Kumberg is European Legal Director and Assistant General Counsel for Northrop Grumman Corporation. He has offices in both London and Zurich, holds dual Canadian and German nationalities and speaks several languages. He is qualified as a lawyer in both Canada and England and has spent over 20 years as first a litigation lawyer and then as in-house counsel to several Global Aerospace Companies. He has extensive experience in international dispute resolution, and is a prominent user of mediation services. Wolf is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and a member of CEDR, CPR and the LCIA.
