Attorney Katie Harrell to present on family law mediation/arbitration during Milwaukee Bar Association CLE
Attorney Katie Harrell will present “Point/Counterpoint: Advantages and Pitfalls of the Family Mediation/Arbitration Hybrid Process” on a panel on May 21, 2024. The presentation will take place in person at the Milwaukee Bar Association, and its organizers will apply for 1.5 CLE credits for attendees.
In certain jurisdictions, parties engage in the mediation/arbitration hybrid process (“med/arb”). They sign a contract with a private mediator/arbitrator agreeing to first mediate the issues, and, if mediation fails, the mediator switches hats to now be the arbitrator. As arbitrator, he/she is empowered to make binding decisions on all remaining contested issues. There are several advantages to this process—among them are efficiency, lower cost to participants, and quick finality. However, some professionals believe that this process is contrary to due process of the law; among other things, the mediator/arbitrator often engages in private caucuses during the mediation process and can learn confidential information that he/she might never have known if the case only involved arbitration. The panel will discuss the pros and cons of the med/arb process and the panelists’ experiences using it. Read more and register for “Point/Counterpoint: Advantages and Pitfalls of the Family Mediation/Arbitration Hybrid Process” here.
Attorney Katie Harrell is the managing partner at Stafford Rosenbaum and is based in the firm’s Madison office. She practices divorce litigation, cooperative divorce, legal separation, child custody and placement, paternity, child support, third party visitation, and the drafting of prenuptial or marital property agreements. Katie regularly mediates and arbitrates divorce and family law matters as a reasonable approach based on a commitment to avoid litigation, provide open and honest communication, and engage in collaborative problem-solving. She is frequently appointed to serve as a guardian ad litem in family matters in Dane County, and she often acts as a parent coordinator in post-judgment cases. Katie writes and presents regularly on legal issues in the family law realm.
Stafford Rosenbaum LLP is a full-service law firm with two convenient office locations in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 145 years of dedication to businesses, governments, nonprofits, and individuals has proven that effective client communication continues to be the heart of our practice.
