Nicholas McFarlane March 20, 2023 In this blog post, I will propose that a fee increase should be implemented for roster mediators under the Ontario Mandatory Mediation Program (OMMP). By following this proposal, more mediators could potentially join the OMMP roster. Ultimately, I hope this post is beneficial for law students, lawyers, academics, and policy makers who are interested in Ontario mandatory mediation. Within the first few years of the OMMP’s implementation, there were as many as 480 mediators on the roster and today there are approximately 160.[1] According to the Alternative Dispute Resolution Institute of Ontario (ADRIO), one of…
By Benjamin VanderWindt On Thursday, May 12, the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution, in partnership with Osgoode Professional Development and the International Academy of Mediators (IAM), hosted its annual Conference on Mediation. The day's topic was Navigating Risk in Mediation: Risk Analysis & Decision Making. The day was comprised of a host of insightful and experienced speakers along with an experiential case study. The day's emphasis was on engaging with the intangible complexities of mediation cases while mitigating risks to the mediation. Mediators must take risks in their practice, but proper preparation can allow for a broad range of content,…
By the Clinic/Campus Division of the Osgoode Mediation Program Last month, the Osgoode Mediation Clinic (OMC), Campus-Clinic Division, successfully hosted its second annual Osgoode Advocacy Week. This is a relatively new initiative for the clinic as the idea was first conceived in 2019. Although Osgoode Advocacy Week 2020 was cancelled due to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, all the hard work that went into developing the events was adopted, amended, and transformed into a virtual edition of Advocacy Week over the last two years. 202
By Kathleen Gregus As many know, the Osgoode Mediation Clinic (OMC) allows Osgoode students the opportunity to provide free mediations, conflict resolution training, and personal conflict coaching to the community within and surrounding York University. Over the past year, members of the OMC Campus Clinic Division have committed to developing skills as mediators and negotiators with the focus of increasing access to justice for folks experiencing a wide range of conflict. 199
In October 2021, Ontario’s Family Law Limited Scope Services Project (the “Project”) found its new home at Osgoode Hall Law School under the combined care of the Winkler Institute for Dispute Resolution and the Osgoode Mediation Clinic. The Project’s mandate is to improve access to family justice for middle-income Ontarians by establishing an online, province-wide directory of trained lawyers willing to provide unbundled legal services. These services, which include limited-scope retainers, legal coaching and summary legal counsel in family law matters, allow clients to maintain general control over the case while also receiving legal assistance from a lawyer on discrete tasks. Prospective…
By Mario Lofranco Over the past 18 months, we have become accustomed to seeing each other through a small rectangle, with a person’s name on the bottom of that screen, and a Wi-Fi strength indicator located in the bottom left corner. Since the beginning of the current academic year, I have had the pleasure of presenting seminars to varying groups of post-secondary and graduate students – some at the master’s level and some at the undergraduate level. The first workshop was a conflict resolution workshop for Lassonde School of Engineering Student Leaders. The second workshop was for students enrolled in…
