Dispute Resolution Section
The WSBA Dispute Resolution Section promotes the informed use and best practices for all dispute resolution processes in Washington. Whether mediating, arbitrating or negotiating, every lawyer is a dispute resolution professional. The section is home to many attorneys who are also members of other sections.
The Dispute Resolution Section welcomes and encourages participation of all dispute resolution professionals. You don’t have to be a lawyer or a member of WSBA. This is the community for all dispute resolution professionals: mediators, arbitrators, and lawyers representing and advising their clients.
The Section provides benefits to members by participating in legislative activities that relate to dispute resolution and undertakes projects aimed at increasing the availability and quality of dispute resolution services throughout the state. The Section also sponsors an annual meeting, and provides other dispute resolution educational programs, including co-sponsorship of the annual Northwest Dispute Resolution Conference.
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The Dispute Resolution Section offers many resources and benefits for members. On this page you will find information about the section, upcoming events, as well as information about the section's executive committee.
Section InformationHappy Hour Northwest | Executive CommitteeExecutive Committee Meetings |
Congratulations, Incoming Executive Committee Members!
Below are the results of the Dispute Resolution Section Executive Committee election. Thank you for voting!
For more information about the Section and its Executive Committee roles, please review the Section's bylaws.
Vice Chair: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2023, and ending Sept. 30, 2024.
Secretary: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2023, and ending Sept. 30, 2024.
Treasurer: remainder of current term ending Sept. 30, 2023.
Treasurer: one-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2023, and ending Sept. 30, 2024.
At-Large Member: three-year position beginning Oct. 1, 2023, and ending Sept. 30, 2026.
Questions? Contact sections@wsba.org.
Happy Hour Northwest — 6:30 p.m. First Thursday Every Month
Grab your favorite drink and/or snack and get ready for an adventure into the unknown. As always, this is lighthearted event with like-minded ADR professionals (and maybe a few law students).
The Animating Principles of Happy Hour Northwest:
- Relax and enjoy: This is time for dispute resolution practitioners to connect and exchange experiences with like-minded individuals.
- Hear from colleagues: Hot topics, current events, transforming experiences, within or without of DR practice.
- Everyone welcome: Drop by if you are an arbitrator, attorney, conflict coach, educator, mediator, or other DR-related practitioner.
- A safe place: Conversations will be constructive, respectful, and remain private among us.
Section Information
What We Do
The Dispute Resolution Section connects professionals with relevant dispute resolution resources and information:
- Educational presentations for both neutrals and advocates
- Unsurpassed networking opportunities with other dispute resolution professionals
- Cost-effective CLE credits in dispute resolution
How We Do It
The Dispute Resolution Section has an Executive Committee and five standing committees:
Click on any of the committee group pages above to learn more, see how they can help you in your dispute resolution practice and how you can get involved.
Executive Committee
Chair:
Courtland Shafer
(2022-2024) Vice Chair: Vacant Secretary: Dee Knapp (2022-2023) Treasurer: Lauren Novack (2022-2023) Immediate Past Chair: Melvyn Simburg (2022-2024) Board of Governors Liaison*: Jordan Couch (2022-2023) and Nam Nguyen (2022-2023) Young Lawyer Liaison: Kyle Berti (2021-2023) | At-Large Members: Carol Dianne Betts (2020-2023) Advisors*: |
Executive Committee Meetings
The Dispute Resolution Section Executive Committee conducts meetings on the third Friday of each month, beginning at noon and concluding by 1:30 p.m.
Executive Committee meetings are currently being conducted by teleconference only. You may attend virtually by following this link to the Zoom Meeting, or by calling 253-215-8782 and using passcode 12345. Please contact committee members for any other details on their upcoming meetings.
Join Our List Serve
The DR Section list serve is a great way to connect with your fellow dispute resolution professionals. Members on the list serve are now able to post directly to the list serve. In order to foster a welcoming and productive environment, the DR Section Executive Committee has adopted general list serve guidelines and section-specific list serve guidelines. To join the section list serve and for general section questions, please send your email address and Bar number to sections@wsba.org.
