New committee in Section of Dispute Resolution to offer ethical advisory guidance

A new committee—the Committee on Mediator Ethical Guidance—will provide advisory responses on ethics for mediators. Established by the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution, the committee will interpret the 2005 Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators published by the ABA, American Arbitration Association and Association for Conflict Resolution.

The current scope of the committee is limited to the consideration of ethical issues pertaining to mediation. Co-chairs, Geetha Ravindra, Richmond, Va., and Michael Young, New York City, along with ABA staff assigned to the committee will assess incoming requests. If the inquiry falls within the scope of the committee, it will be forwarded to all 12 members for consideration. Deliberations of the committee will remain confidential.

If two-thirds of the members participating in deliberations agree, the committee will issue an advisory opinion. If fewer than six members participate in deliberations, the committee will not deliver an opinion. It is expected that committee members will recuse themselves in the event of a conflict of interest.

The committee will post opinions on the Dispute Resolution Section's Web site, with confidentiality of all parties maintained. The final opinion will not include the name of the requestor nor reveal individuals or entities relative to the request.

Opinions are not intended to have the force of law or be binding. For more information, visit the section's Web site at http://www.abanet.org/dispute/home.html.

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