Managing High-Conflict Personalities in Law: Skills Every Attorney Needs

Bill Eddy | High Conflict Institute

Bill Eddy was a therapist for 12 years (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), then a lawyer for 15 years (Certified Family Law Specialist), then the Senior Family mediator for 15 years at the National Conflict Resolution Center in San Diego, California. He is the co-founder and Director of Innovation of the High Conflict Institute, for which he has trained lawyers, mediators, judges, mental health professionals and others on managing high-conflict personalities in 40 states and 14 countries. He has written over twenty books and manuals, including High Conflict People in Legal Disputes and Biff for Lawyers and Law Offices: Your Guide to Respectful Written Communication with Clients, Opposing Counsel and Others. He taught Psychology of Conflict Communication for 16 years at the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine University School of Law. He is the co-host of the podcast It’s All Your Fault. His blog on Psychology Today has over 6 million views. For more information, see www.HighConflictInstitute.com.

I. Five high conflict personality types and their common conflict dynamics | 1:00pm – 1:20pm

II. Four approaches to avoid with them | 1:20pm – 1:40pm

III. Four key skills to use with them | 1:40pm – 2:00pm

Break | 2:00pm – 2:10pm

IV. Tips for managing high-conflict clients | 2:10pm – 2:40pm

V. Tips for managing high-conflict opposing counsel | 2:40pm – 3:10pm