Mosten Guthrie

Mediation Training

Susan Guthrie

Join Susan with SCMA to Get Your 2024 Off to a Great Start!

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Susan will be joining her friends and colleagues at the Southern California Mediation Association for a special year-end webinar focused on helping attendees jump start their practice growth and success in the coming new year by creating an actionable business plan.

WHEN: Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 12 noon PT

WEBINAR DESCRIPTION:

As we approach 2024, it’s time to refresh, reinvigorate, and reimagine your business strategies. Join us for this fast paced webinar as we delve into the crucial components of a modern business plan tailored for the evolving landscape. Learn actionable tips on business, marketing, and process updating while harnessing the power of innovative tools like ChatGPT to launch or grow your mediation practice to the next level . Start your New Year with a clear business resolution and the tools to carry it out!

Key Takeaways:

  • The essential components of a 2024 business plan tailored for the mediation sector and a simple business plan template to get you started.
  • Actionable strategies to elevate your business operations, marketing initiatives, and process management.
  • An understanding of how innovative tools, like ChatGPT, can enhance business planning and execution.
  • A renewed mindset geared towards adaptability, client-centricity, and data-driven decisions for the New Year.
Register Here

Check out Woody’s Latest Article at Mediate.com

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We are excited to share a thought-provoking new article by our very own Forrest (Woody) Mosten, titled “Bringing Informed Consent & Consumerism into Mediation: Parties Jointly Select Their Lawyers.” Published on November 13, 2023, this insightful piece delves into the evolving landscape of lawyer selection in mediation.

Woody, a pioneer in the field, challenges traditional approaches and introduces a collaborative protocol for parties and mediators to jointly select consulting lawyers. This innovative method emphasizes the importance of informed consent and consumerism in the mediation process, aiming to enhance transparency and cooperation.

We highly encourage mediators, legal professionals, and anyone interested in the mediation process to read this article. It’s not just a reflection of Woody’s expertise and forward-thinking approach but also embodies the values and educational goals we uphold at Mosten Guthrie Academy.

Discover new perspectives and strategies that could reshape your approach to mediation. Read the full article now and join us in this important conversation about the future of mediation and legal representation.

Read the Article

Mosten Guthrie Academy Celebrates the Election of Co-Founder, Susan Guthrie, as Chair Elect of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution!

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Mosten Guthrie Academy is beaming with pride as its co-founder, Susan Guthrie, achieves another monumental milestone in her illustrious career. Susan has been elected as Chair Elect for the American Bar Association’s esteemed Section of Dispute Resolution. With her expertise and commitment to excellence, she is set to steer the Section as Chair for the 2024-2025 Bar year, commencing in August 2024. The Academy congratulates Susan on her esteemed appointment and is confident that she will continue to elevate the standards of dispute resolution in the legal community.

Woody Will Be Keynoting the FACP Annual Conference June 8-10!

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The Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals is proud to announce our 11th Annual Conference, June 8-10, 2023 at the JW Marriott Orlando Bonnett Creek Resort. The theme of the conference is Embracing Innovation: Expanding and Modernizing Your Collaborative Toolbox.

This year we are focusing on sharing with our FACP members unique techniques, experiences, protocols, and methods colleagues and Collaborative leaders have created and applied, which have promoted more successful divorce outcomes in their Collaborative matters.

Our keynote speaker is Forrest “Woody” Mosten. Woody has a successful mediation and Collaborative Law practice in San Diego and Beverly Hills. Woody is the author and co-author of Effectively Representing Clients in Family Mediation (ABA 2023), The Complete Guide to Mediation 2nd Edition (ABA, 2015), Unbundling Legal Services (ABA, 2017), Mediation Career Guide (Jossey-Bass, 2001), Collaborative Divorce Handbook (Jossey-Bass, 2010) and Building a Successful Collaborative Family Law Practice (ABA, 2018). Woody has been honored by the ABA, LA County Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Southern California Mediation Association, New York Council of Divorce Mediation, and Academy of Professional Family Mediators.

Woody will not only be the keynote speaker this year, but he will also be offering a workshop during our conference and additional training/presentation on Thursday afternoon, which will be available to attendees of the conference at no additional cost! You definitely do not want to miss this year’s dynamic speakers and presenters.

Register

Marital Mediation: A Powerful Tool for Divorce Professionals

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As divorce professionals, we strive to help couples navigate the complexities of ending their marriages, while minimizing emotional turmoil and financial strain. Amidst the traditional litigation process, a powerful alternative has emerged: Marital Mediation. This collaborative process offers numerous benefits to couples and professionals alike. In this article, we will explore what marital mediation is and why divorce professionals should offer it to their clients.

What is Marital Mediation?

The term “Marital Mediation” was first coined by mediator John Fiske in 1997 to describe family mediation designed to help couples stay married. As described by marital mediation expert Susan Boardman, “Marital mediation is a process where a neutral third party uses mediation techniques to help couples improve their relationship. It is a series of guided negotiations in which couples are helped to craft concrete, practical solutions to issues troubling their marriage. Couples create explicit guidelines involving the behavioral changes each party is able to make toward addressing areas of friction, resulting in a mediated template of future behavior. Marital mediation is thus task oriented and time limited.” (Boardman, Marital Mediation: A Psychological Perspective, Conflict Resolution Quarterly 2013).

Why Divorce Professionals Should Offer Marital Mediation

  1. Client Satisfaction: Marital mediation typically results in higher levels of satisfaction for both parties. By working together to find solutions, clients feel more in control of their own destinies and are more likely to respect the outcomes. This can lead to more stable, long-lasting agreements and happier clients, which in turn benefits your practice.
  2. Cost-Effectiveness: The mediation process can be significantly less expensive than traditional litigation. With fewer billable hours spent on court appearances and document preparation, clients can save money, making it a more attractive option for those with limited financial resources. This can also contribute to your practice’s reputation as a cost-effective and client-centered option for divorce.
  3. Reduced Conflict: Mediation fosters open communication and cooperation, helping to reduce animosity between parties. This can lead to more amicable post-divorce relationships, which is especially important for couples with children. By offering a service that promotes reduced conflict, you position yourself as a professional who prioritizes the well-being of families.
  4. Time Efficiency: The litigation process can be lengthy, sometimes lasting years. Mediation, on the other hand, can often be completed in a matter of weeks or months. This expedited process allows clients to move forward with their lives more quickly, while also freeing up time for divorce professionals to take on additional cases.
  5. Flexibility: Marital mediation offers flexibility in terms of scheduling and structure. Clients can choose when and where meetings take place, which can help accommodate work schedules and other commitments. This flexibility also extends to the agreement itself, as couples can tailor their settlement to meet their unique needs and circumstances.
  6. Expanding Your Practice: Offering marital mediation services can help diversify your practice, attracting clients who may not have considered your services otherwise. By providing a broader range of options, you demonstrate your commitment to meeting clients’ needs and staying at the forefront of the divorce industry.

Marital mediation is a valuable addition to the repertoire of any divorce professional. It offers numerous benefits for clients, including cost-effectiveness, reduced conflict, and increased satisfaction with the divorce process. By offering this service, you not only expand your practice, but also position yourself as a compassionate and forward-thinking professional, committed to the well-being of the families you serve.

Susan Guthrie® has been one of the leading family law attorneys and mediators in the country for more than 32 years with a practice focused on high net worth and high conflict complex cases.  She is also one of the founders of the  Mosten Guthrie Academy, the premier provider for family law, collaborative and mediation training for professionals.  Her award-winning podcast, The Divorce & Beyond® Podcast, is one of the top 1.5 % of podcasts worldwide and she is known to millions of listeners around the world as the “divorce voice you can trust!”  Susan regularly presents at professional events and conferences around the world and her recent featured programs and keynote addresses include the 2022 Academy of Professional Family Mediators Annual Conference, the 2022 National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals Annual Advanced Mediation Training Retreat, the 2022 New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators Annual Conference and the 2023 New York Council of Divorce Mediators Annual Conference.  She is honored to serve as the Vice-Chair of the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution and looks forward to leading the Section as Chair in 2024.

Woody’s New Book Now Available for Pre-Order!

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Together with co-authors Hon. Elizabeth Potter Scully and Lara Traum, Woody’s newest book, Effectively Representing Clients in Family Mediation, is now available for pre-order through the American Bar Association Section of Family Law! This book represents a must-read for all family law advocates who want to support their clients in respectfully and cooperatively restructure their families through the mediation process. The book even features a Bonus Chapter from Susan Guthrie on the advocates role in online mediation matters that is a do not miss in a post-covid virtual world!

Pre-Order the Book!

Forrest “Woody” Mosten to be Featured Speaker at the Collaborative Law Institute of MN Forum

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Woody will lead a dialogue about how Collaborative Practice of the future will blend with other ADR options such as mediation and unbundling.  Woody is recognized as the father of Unbundling and is one of the leading trainers of peacemakers, (including mediators and Collaborative professionals) in the world.  CLIM Founder, Ron Ousky says it best:  “I really believe that one of the great growth opportunities in Collaborative Practice will come from creating a deeper connection between Collaborative Practice and mediation.   Woody has more insights and experience in this area than anyone we know, so we are asking him to help us look into a future in which Collaborative Professionals and mediators work together to help their clients.”   Woody will speak on Connecting Collaboration, Mediation and Unbundling: a recipe for future growth for all Collaborative Professionals.

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