About the Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee
The Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee (“MEAC”) was established in 2006 with three major objectives:
1) to respond to inquiries from mediators in community dispute resolution center programs;
2)
to promote professional development and consistency of practice among dispute resolution practitioners; and
3) to
recommend changes to the Mediator Standards of Conduct for the New York State Community Dispute Resolution Center Mediators that governs mediators who provide dispute resolution services under the auspices of a Community Dispute Resolution Center Program ("CDRC").
The creation of the Committee stemmed from the promulgation of the 2005 Standards of Conduct for New York State CDRC Mediators by the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution & Court Improvement Programs and the Standards' drafting Committee. These standards were developed to educate mediators regarding current standards of practice; to guide mediators in their practice; to promote public confidence in mediation as a dispute resolution process; and to inform mediating parties about the process.
The Committee is comprised of thirteen members from diverse ADR professions drawn from geographically diverse communities in New York State. Along with the Committee Chair, Dan Weitz, statewide Coordinator of the Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution & Court Improvement Programs, the Committee is made up of four volunteer CDRC mediators; four individuals who are employees of a CDRC or other organization that provides dispute resolution services pursuant to an agreement between the organization and the Unified Court System; and four individuals who are either: a professor of dispute resolution at a university or graduate-level institution, a current or former member of an ethics advisory panel for an association or professional organization, a member in good standing of the New York State Dispute Resolution Association, or a member in good standing of an ADR committee of a New York-based statewide or local bar association.
Once the Committee receives an inquiry, a quarterly subcommittee is assigned to consider the inquiry and draft a response for the full Committee. The full Committee then reviews and votes on the response before it becomes an official opinion.
Opinions
Opinion 2006-01
Opinion 2006-02
Opinion 2006-03
Opinion 2007-01
Opinion 2008-01
Opinion 2008-02
Opinion 2009-01
Opinion 2009-02 New as of 10/14/09
How to Send an Inquiry to the Committee
Mediators can write to the Committee at either of the addresses listed below. The inquirer's information is kept confidential and no identifying information regarding the party or parties, the mediator(s), and/or the CDRC is included in the opinion.
By email: cdrcp@courts.state.ny.us
By regular mail:
Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee
New York State Unified Court System
Office of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Court Improvement Programs
25 Beaver Street, Room 859-A
New York, New York 10004
Committee Members
Daniel M. Weitz, Esq., Chair
Sheila Sproule, J.D., Deputy Chair
Raymond Baker, Ph D.
Simeon Baum, Esq.
Jenny Besch
Alexandra Carter, Esq.
Charlotte Carter
Melanie Chapel
Alfred Chapleau, Esq.
Brenda Episcopo
Jody Miller
Jacqueline Nolan-Haley, Esq.
Judith Saul
Hope Winthrop, Esq.
Amy Sheridan, Counsel to Committee
For more information on the Mediator Ethics Advisory Committee, please contact Sheila Sproule.
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