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Attorney By Attorney Career Profiles of the Profession Who? Cheryl Niro Partner, Quinlan & Carroll, Ltd President, Judicial Dispute Resolution, Inc. cniro@qclaw.com What? Primary Practice Area & Subspecialty Fields: Complex litigation; ADR neutral - mediator/ arbitrator. When? Years in Practice Area: Since 1991. Years in the Legal Profession: Since 1981. Where? Employer: Quinlan & Carroll, Ltd. www.qclaw.com Size/Sector: 20 + layers/ litigation City/State: Chicago, IL Law School: Northern Illinois University, College of Law Other Post-Graduate Education: Harvard Program of Instruction for Lawyers - Univiversity of Illinois School of Graduate Study Undergraduate School/Degree: University of Illinois, Urbana, B.S. in Fine & Applied Arts Why? Pluses/Challenges of Practice Area: Assisting in the resolution of difficult, complex cases is gratifying. I often take on cases other mediators do have not been able to settle, and resolved them. The legal community has yet to fully recognize the value of mediation and its potential contribution to our legal system. Core Skills/Key Knowledge Needed in Your Practice Area: Experience in a broad range of disputes is helpful. Quality education and training in negotiation and mediation - well beyond the typical 40-hour training program is a must. Advice to Lawyers and Law Students Interested in Your Practice Area: To be a full-time neutral requires extensive training and experience, and the market in Illinois is not large. You must be patient and get as much diverse experience and training as possible. How? Career Path to Current Position: Prior to becoming a partner at Quinlan & Carroll, I served as Special Counsel to the Illinois Attorney General. I engaged in private practice with a partner and on my own, and was an Associate with Pope, Ballard, Shepard & Fowle, a large downtown Chicago law firm early in my career. I was also the Founding Director for the National Center for Conflict Resolution Education and the Executive Director for the Illinois Commission on the Bicentennial of the US Constitution. Influence and Mentors: Willis Ryza, Sr. Partner at Pope, Ballard was an early influence on negotiation and arbitration of Labor Related Disputes. Richard E. Friedman, showed me leadership and organization. Roger Fischer, and his work at the Harvard Program on Negotiation was the most significant in my most important career decisions and direction. Suggested Reading About Your Practice Area: Getting to Yes Fisher & Ury and all of their related work. Howard Raffa's work on the science of negotiation. Job Search Techniques Used in Finding Your Position: Networking; involvement in professional organizations, bar association's leadership positions; publishing articles; training. Bar Affiliations and Activities: Illinois State Bar Association: President 1999-2000; 1st, 2nd, 3rd Vice-President 1996-99; Treasurer 1995-96; board of governors 1994-2001; Assembly 1993-94. I have also been Chair, Vice-Chair, Member, and Liaison of numerous committees within the ISBA. ISBA Mutual Insurance Company: Chairman -Board of Directors 2001-02; Board 1993-2003. American Bar Association: Caucus of State Bar Associations 1994-2005; Joint Committee on Layer Regulation, ABA Center for Professional Responsibility 2002-present; Dispute Resolution Section Council, 1993-2003; Labor and Employment Section: Equal Employment Opportunity Committee; Standing Committee on Bar Services and Activities 2000-03; Fellows of the ABA foundation, Member; Chair, Nominating Committee 2003. National Conference of Bar Presidents: Member 1996-2003; Communications Committee; Facilitator; Speaker on numerous programs. Recent Professional Publications: Contributor, Conflict Resolution Education: A Guide to Implementing Programs in School, Youth Serving Organizations and Community and Juvenile Justice Settings, US Dept of Justice and US Dept of Education, 1996. The Decision Tree: A Systematic Approach to Settlement Decisions, Illinois Bar Journal, Vol. 82, No. 3, March 1994. The Children's Crisis in America: A Call to Action, Illinois Bar Journal, Vol. 79, No. 11 Nov.1991. Recent Professional Presentations: DSEF International Consumer Conference: Online Dispute Resolution Program. ABA Presidential Showcase Program: Mediating and Settling the Multiparty Case: Strategic, Ethical, and Logistical Challenges Confronting the Mediator and Counsel. Representing Your Client Across State Lines: Multijurisidictional Practice Construction Law Conference, Texas State Bar Association 2002. Ethics from the Inside Out State Bar of California Annual Meeting, 2001. Memorable Career Moment: Resolved a huge, multi-partied complex case in mediation in London, with lawyers from 4 different countries, over the construction of a steel mill in Eastern Europe. Intriguing Interests: Approaching the law as a profession dedicated to healing rather than warfare.