Blog Archives
Online Negotiation in a Time of Social Distance
March 25, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has curtailed face-to-face meetings and travel, but dealmaking is still possible. Here are best practices for negotiating at more than arm’s length. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these negotiation best practices will need to be set aside, as negotiating in person is no longer a safe option. But that doesn’t mean dealmaking can’t continue. Thanks to the array of communication media we have available to us—from phone calls to videoconferencing to text messages—we...
March 25, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has curtailed face-to-face meetings and travel, but dealmaking is still possible. Here are best practices for negotiating at more than arm’s length. During the COVID-19 pandemic, these negotiation best practices will need to be set aside, as negotiating in person is no longer a safe option. But that doesn’t mean dealmaking can’t continue. Thanks to the array of communication media we have available to us—from phone calls to videoconferencing to text messages—we...
Coronavirus And The Great Online-Learning Experiment
March 24, 2020
Chronicle of Higher Education op-ed: Coronavirus and the Great Online-Learning Experiment, by Jonathan Zimmerman (University of Pennsylvania): In 1993, as Louisiana State University made its first steps toward online instruction, its student newspaper, The Daily Reveille, issued a stark warning about the future. "A university is a place where the knowledge of one generation is passed on to the next, and this cannot be done by machine," the paper declared. "Information can be found...
March 24, 2020
Chronicle of Higher Education op-ed: Coronavirus and the Great Online-Learning Experiment, by Jonathan Zimmerman (University of Pennsylvania): In 1993, as Louisiana State University made its first steps toward online instruction, its student newspaper, The Daily Reveille, issued a stark warning about the future. "A university is a place where the knowledge of one generation is passed on to the next, and this cannot be done by machine," the paper declared. "Information can be found...
Zoom Case Study: Virtual Mediation Lab
March 23, 2020
This case focuses on the Virtual Mediation Lab, an organization that hosts online mediation sessions through video, allowing parties in a dispute to converse through a mediator. They also mentor and instruct those new to the mentoring profession. We met with Giuseppe Leone, the founder of Virtual Mediation Lab, to discuss what his company does, why they use Zoom, and what they love about it. Leone had been using another product, but when he tested Zoom he was sold. Why? Because Zoom meets...
March 23, 2020
This case focuses on the Virtual Mediation Lab, an organization that hosts online mediation sessions through video, allowing parties in a dispute to converse through a mediator. They also mentor and instruct those new to the mentoring profession. We met with Giuseppe Leone, the founder of Virtual Mediation Lab, to discuss what his company does, why they use Zoom, and what they love about it. Leone had been using another product, but when he tested Zoom he was sold. Why? Because Zoom meets...
Zoom ‘Paving the Way’ for Texas A&M’s Modern Delivery of Distance Learning & Online Education
March 22, 2020
Zoom provides a ton of great communication and digital learning benefits to colleges and universities all over the world, and Texas A&M University is one of them, using Zoom to enable the delivery of online education and distance learning. Founded in 1876 in College Station, Texas, Texas A&M has been a staple of academic excellence for generations. With over 60,000 students pursuing their education at locations across Texas and even one in Doha, Qatar, A&M...
March 22, 2020
Zoom provides a ton of great communication and digital learning benefits to colleges and universities all over the world, and Texas A&M University is one of them, using Zoom to enable the delivery of online education and distance learning. Founded in 1876 in College Station, Texas, Texas A&M has been a staple of academic excellence for generations. With over 60,000 students pursuing their education at locations across Texas and even one in Doha, Qatar, A&M...
Mediating by Video?
March 21, 2020
Many lawyers I work with have expressed concern that video conferencing will not be as effective as mediating in person. I shared that concern, insisting that this was a process predicated on face-to-face contact. Now circumstances have forced my hand, and I have been mediating remotely. I am happy to report that the process has been tremendously successful. It is not quite as good as mediating in person, but it is close. And it is much better than the alternative. Several lawyers in recent...
March 21, 2020
Many lawyers I work with have expressed concern that video conferencing will not be as effective as mediating in person. I shared that concern, insisting that this was a process predicated on face-to-face contact. Now circumstances have forced my hand, and I have been mediating remotely. I am happy to report that the process has been tremendously successful. It is not quite as good as mediating in person, but it is close. And it is much better than the alternative. Several lawyers in recent...
USNews ADR Specialty Rankings
March 21, 2020
Once again the USNews rankings are upon us, and once again we see movement across the board. This year Harvard tops the charts followed by (the) Ohio State University at 2 and at 3 it’s tie between Missouri and Pepperdine. And this top 20 list is actually a list of 21 as there are 4 schools tied at 18.
March 21, 2020
Once again the USNews rankings are upon us, and once again we see movement across the board. This year Harvard tops the charts followed by (the) Ohio State University at 2 and at 3 it’s tie between Missouri and Pepperdine. And this top 20 list is actually a list of 21 as there are 4 schools tied at 18.
“Zoom”ing into a new era
March 20, 2020
If there was ever a time to be thankful for technology, it is now. During the novel coronavirus pandemic, a majority of attorneys are finding themselves practicing social distancing, which means working remotely. Given our professions, many times court appearances, emergency motions, client meetings, and emergencies cannot wait. To be honest, I was skeptical of using technology for court appearances and hearings because I have been taught the value of in-person relationships and the power of in-person...
March 20, 2020
If there was ever a time to be thankful for technology, it is now. During the novel coronavirus pandemic, a majority of attorneys are finding themselves practicing social distancing, which means working remotely. Given our professions, many times court appearances, emergency motions, client meetings, and emergencies cannot wait. To be honest, I was skeptical of using technology for court appearances and hearings because I have been taught the value of in-person relationships and the power of in-person...
Teleconferencing Tips: Are You Ready for your Closeup?
March 20, 2020
“Is Bob on the call? Will someone PLEASE e-mail Bob?“Everyone, everyone, PLEASE mute your #$%^& line!”“THERE’S there’s, AN an, ECHO, Echo, echo, ech….”“How do we share our screen again? Wait I see it. No, that’s not it.” It’s 2020; one year AFTER the events of the film Blade Runner. Still no flying cars. No androids. And apparently no lawyers capable of carrying off a flawless video conference. COVID-19 is pushing everyone to videoconferencing. I’ve long...
March 20, 2020
“Is Bob on the call? Will someone PLEASE e-mail Bob?“Everyone, everyone, PLEASE mute your #$%^& line!”“THERE’S there’s, AN an, ECHO, Echo, echo, ech….”“How do we share our screen again? Wait I see it. No, that’s not it.” It’s 2020; one year AFTER the events of the film Blade Runner. Still no flying cars. No androids. And apparently no lawyers capable of carrying off a flawless video conference. COVID-19 is pushing everyone to videoconferencing. I’ve long...
Announcing Video Conferencing Mediation Options with Private Caucus Rooms and Secure E-Sign
March 19, 2020
Given recent and fast-moving COVID-19 developments, I am writing to clients who have booked in-person mediations to discuss options adapted to the moment. We have initiated a protocol to allow video participation by any party who elects to do so through Zoom video conferencing (https://zoom.us/). This simple and elegant program is so widely used by universities and corporations that it is one of the few stocks to go up recently. Zoom’s advantage for mediation lies in the availability and...
March 19, 2020
Given recent and fast-moving COVID-19 developments, I am writing to clients who have booked in-person mediations to discuss options adapted to the moment. We have initiated a protocol to allow video participation by any party who elects to do so through Zoom video conferencing (https://zoom.us/). This simple and elegant program is so widely used by universities and corporations that it is one of the few stocks to go up recently. Zoom’s advantage for mediation lies in the availability and...
Zoom ‘Cheat Sheet’
March 18, 2020
Thanks to the Coronavirus crisis, my 280-odd colleagues on the University of Texas Law School faculty are valiantly struggling to transpose their years of classroom skill and content to the daunting digital realm of remote instruction using Zoom teleconferencing. Zoom has been a part of the University of Texas’ Canvas learning platform for less than 48 hours, and over 3,000 professors at UT Austin have just two weeks to be ready to teach via Zoom when some 40,000 students return from an extended...
March 18, 2020
Thanks to the Coronavirus crisis, my 280-odd colleagues on the University of Texas Law School faculty are valiantly struggling to transpose their years of classroom skill and content to the daunting digital realm of remote instruction using Zoom teleconferencing. Zoom has been a part of the University of Texas’ Canvas learning platform for less than 48 hours, and over 3,000 professors at UT Austin have just two weeks to be ready to teach via Zoom when some 40,000 students return from an extended...
