ADR 101: Preparing In-House Counsel for Success in Dispute Resolution (Presented by The Federal Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution and Corporate and Association Counsel Division)

Joanne Colbert Stanley | Stanley Legal Services

A dedicated advocate for the marine and maritime industry, Jo Colbert Stanley, is a seasoned attorney, accomplished arbitrator/mediator, and intrepid maritime affairs consultant. Jo holds a Diploma in International Maritime Arbitration from the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, where she is a Fellow. She is a Florida Supreme Court-qualified arbitrator and certified mediator and serves on multiple arbitration panels, including the International Yacht Arbitration Council, the American Arbitration Association, and as a Chair-qualified Public Arbitrator with FINRA. Jo is also a Registered Mediator for Florida’s Department of Financial Services, where she handles an extensive caseload of property insurance matters. Jo is an active voice in the legal and boating communities, globally, nationally, and locally. Recognized for her insightful approach to collaborative growth, creative problem-solving and risk management, Jo serves on the Broward County Marine Advisory Committee and is co-chair of WISTA International’s Yachting Committee. She is a member of the Admiralty Law Committee of The Florida Bar and is currently serving her third term as Chair of Broward County Bar Association’s Admiralty/Maritime Law Section. Jo is also an enthusiastic and engaged member of the Southeastern Admiralty Law Institute, the Port Everglades Association, and the Fort Lauderdale Mariners Club. In addition to her professional roles, Jo regularly presents on maritime law and dispute resolution, contributing to continuing legal education seminars, conferences, and publications. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at Nova Southeastern University, aligning her academic pursuits with her professional focus on conflict management within the maritime industry. Outside of her legal and academic work, Jo co-owns and operates Stanley Yacht Services, a yacht management and maintenance outfit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where she channels her dedication to the yachting industry into hands-on support for yacht owners and seafarers alike.

Laurel Stevenson | United States District Court, Western District of Missouri

Laurel Stevenson is the Director of the Mediation and Assessment Program (MAP) for the United States District Court, Western District of Missouri. She oversees approximately 1,000 civil cases annually and serves as a mediator and facilitator. She also trains judges, neutrals, students, staff and others on effective and ethical use of ADR. She co-chairs the ABA’s Court ADR Committee within the DR Section and is the Editor of The Resolver, a publication of the FBA’s ADR Section. Laurel has conducted hundreds of mediations, including more than 300 via Zoom. Her ADR work includes class actions, insurance, FLSA, employment, MDL’s, civil rights, inmate litigation, wrongful death, transportation, medical malpractice, and commercial disputes. Several resolutions have resulted in institutional policy changes. Prior to her current position, Laurel tried more than eighty jury trials to verdict, served as appellate counsel, was lead trial counsel in numerous bench trials, and taught trial practice in Missouri and Texas. She served more than a decade as a Facilitator for the Missouri Bar Complaint Resolution Program and the Fee Dispute Resolution Program. She also served as a mediator, arbitrator, and facilitator during her last twelve years in private practice.

Moderator, Ronika Carter | Minnesota Vikings

Ronika Carter serves as Senior Director of Legal Affairs for the Minnesota Vikings, where she manages the daily operations of the legal department. In this role, Ronika oversees a number of critical functions including complex commercial transactions, data privacy, business strategy, dispute resolution strategy, and AI governance. She also supports the public policy and community relations work of the Vikings organization. Within the FBA, Ronika has held a number of leadership positions over the years, and she currently serves as Chair-Elect of the Corporate and Association Counsel Division, and a member of the Government Relations Committee.

I. Dispute resolution review | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

II. Value of dispute resolution | 2:10pm – 2:20pm

III. Preparation and timing | 2:20pm – 2:30pm

IV. Best practices | 2:30pm – 2:40pm

V. AI in ADR | 2:40pm – 2:50pm

VI. Resources and Q&A | 2:50pm – 3:00pm