News Archive

2008 Mediator Training & Accreditation Courses Dates Released 19/11 The 2008 Mediator Training & Accreditation Course Dates are now available. They are: Training Course dates are 15th-17th and 22nd-23rd April 2008; Accreditation Course dates are 8th and 9th May 2008. The North West Branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators is pleased to announce that it proposes to run a five day Mediator training course at the Park Royal Hotel in Stretton, Warrington on the above days in April 2008 followed by a mediator accreditation course on the above days in May 2008. The Mediator training course will be led by David Richbell and Jane Gunn of "Mediaion and Training Alternatives". David rund the mediator courses for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Course details can be found at www.arbitrators.org/courses/mediatortraining.asp Course details can be found at www.arbitrators.org/courses/mediatortraining.asp In order to be accredited as mediators by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, candidates who complete the five day course must subsequently attend a two day Chartered Institute accreditation course. The North West branch is offering CIArb members the five day training course at a discounted cost of £1,750 plus VAT per candidate. For delegates who are not CIArb members the cost is £2,250 plus VAT. he subsequent two day accreditation course is available at a cost of £1,105 plus VAT. These costs include all course material, training, the cost of room hire, teas, coffees and lunches. The cost of overnight accommodation is NOT included. Delegates living any distance from the venue are encouraged to stay at the hotel as the course is intensive and will run from 9am to 6pm daily. The hotel bed and breakfast rate starts at £105. The earlier you book the better rate you are likely to get. If you wish to attend the Mediator training course and/or the Mediator accreditation course please complete and return the downloadable booking form with your non-refundable deposit of £500 plus VAT by January 18 2008 at the latest. The balance of he course fees is payable by March 28 2008 at the latest. [THE BOOKING FORM CAN BE DOWNLOADED AND PRINTED FROM THE LINK BELOW...please be patient as it takes a short while to open] Please apply to secure your place as spaces are limited. Places on courses are offered on a first come first served basis. In the event that there is insufficient interest to make the course viable the North West Branch reserves the right to cancel this course and will in that event refund any deposits received from candidates. Mediator Training Course Booking Form.doc

Report from Dublin Conference & Branch Officers Meeting 09/11 An international conference of the Chartered Institute was held in Dublin over the weekend of 3rd and 4th November 2007. REPORT FROM CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTH WEST BRANCH The conference was preceded by a 1-day meeting of Branch Chairmen. I attended both events as representative of the North West Branch. The host for both events was the Irish Branch. The Irish have long held a reputation for their hospitality. It soon became plain that our hosts did not intend to mar that reputation. The venue was the Royal College of Physicians. Recently refurbished, it provided a splendid setting. The meeting of the Branch Officers was chaired by Hew Dundas, the current President of the Chartered Institute. Hew was assisted by Doug Jones, Chairman of the Board of Trustees. The branches of the UK, Ireland, Channel Islands, North America, Bermuda, Europe, Australia, Malaysia and East Asia were represented. The first session of the meeting comprised oral reports of activities and concerns of branches from their respective representatives. I should have preferred to have been informed in advance that a report was required; on the other hand, I suppose the lack of notice provided an opportunity to hone an apparently presumed ability of branch chairmen to respond to the unexpected on the hoof. I am appending to this report a copy of the agenda showing the topics of discussion. I am also arranging for a copy of the slides that were shown by the various presenters to be included on the Branch website (http://www.arbitrators-nw.org). There are a considerable number of changes being made with a view to improving services to members and adding to the benefits of membership of the Chartered Institute. The pathways to qualification in the various grades of membership have been updated. Separate pathways have been created for arbitration, international arbitration, adjudication and mediation. Accelerated programmes for experiences practitioners have also been included. I would urge members of the Branch to peruse the slides on the Branch website for details. On the Friday evening a reception and dinner for the Branch Officers was held at the Shelbourne Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Dublin. There was a real feel of history about the place. Members of the Irish Branch were there in force making us all feel most welcome. Prior to dinner, the Reverend Dr. Ian Paisley who had joined us as a guest of the Irish Branch, took the trouble of speaking personally to everyone. The evening was rounded- off with traditional Irish music from a local folk group. Back at the Royal College of Physicians on Saturday morning, the conference began with approximately 100 members, many from distant corners of the globe, in attendance, including Jimmy Burns, Mark Mattison and Michael Pye of the North West Branch. I was pleased that our Branch was so well represented. The theme for the conference was ‘Dispute Management – Practice and Promise’. The title of the papers which were given and the names of the speakers appear in a copy of the programme for the conference which I am appending to this report. The quality of the papers was thankfully a marked improvement on those of last year’s conference. Lunch at the conference turned out to be a most memorable occasion. Given the theme of the conference and the recent end to the division which has existed between the communities of Northern Ireland for so long, it was fitting that the speaker at lunch should have been Dr Paisley, speaking in Dublin. His address, partly humorous, was also moving, so much so that a standing ovation followed. National television coverage had been arranged, so we were able to view the proceedings all over again on the evening news. I could not help but feel that there were things about the organisation of the event that we as a Branch could take away and consider for our own future events. The organisers did not miss any opportunity to promote the Institute. There was a slightly lighter tone to the afternoon session. Using a combination of branch members and professional actors, the Irish Branch staged parallel demonstrations of a mediation and arbitration hearing of the same dispute. The principal roles were played by David Richbell and Bernard Gogarty. The demonstrations were interspersed with commentary from a past chairman of the Irish Branch contrasting differences between these two methods of dispute resolution. A lively open forum closed the session. Little more than two hours later, delegates had returned to the Royal College of Physicians, this time with their partners, for a reception and gala dinner. As legendary as Irish hospitality was proving to be, I was by now beginning to realise that it could continue only for as long as the recipients could maintain their stamina! As dinner was ending, the room was plunged into darkness. Irish Branch Chairman, Joe Behan, had asked for silence. More musical entertainment had been arranged, this time from the Irish choir ‘Anúna’ of ‘Celtic Origins’ fame. Their performance began with their leading lady singing solo as she entered the room carrying a candle. The songs were not for me, but the singing was superb and the entire performance was very atmospheric. The final applause and encore suggest that I was probably alone in my reservation about the repertoire. Sunday morning required a decision. Two workshops were on offer, one on arbitration, the other on mediation and conciliation. As those who know the individuals involved may anticipate, the North West Branch contingent was at this point divided; I say no more than that. From my perspective, I thought the subjects which were covered would have benefited from two or three times the amount of time that was available. I found the subjects interesting and the presenters really knew their subject, so it was especially a shame that they did not have more time. I had to leave before the closing session. Mark and Michael tell me that there was a lively debate before proceedings were brought to a close by the Branch Chairman. Kevin Hayes, Chairman, North West Branch 9 November 2007