Mediation and collaborative practice have met in the world of alternative dispute resolution, and the result has been some confusion (and controversy)
Lynda J. Robbins practices collaborative family law and mediation in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. Robbins is president of the Massachusetts Council on Family Mediation and a former president of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council, where she presently serves as clerk. Robbins also serves on the IACP Board of Directors and is a member of the Merrimack Valley Mediators Group, ACR and AFCC. She has extensive training and experience in both mediation and collaborative practice.
Karen J. Levitt, principal of the Levitt Law Group in Lowell, Massachusetts, is a collaborative attorney and mediator. She is the immediate past president of the Massachusetts Collaborative Law Council and continues to serve on the board. She is also chair of MCLC’s Advisory Committee and co-chair of the Special Projects Committee. Levitt is a former member of the board of MCFM and currently serves on the Massachusetts Trial Court Standing Committee on Dispute Resolution and the MBA ADR Committee. She has extensive experience in collaborative practice, mediation and litigation.
"Mediation and collaborative practice are ideal partners,” says Robbins. “Both share the goal of assisting clients in crafting their own resolution to disputes. Although the roles of mediator and collaborative professional are different, both practitioners have common skills and interests. This program will explore that common ground.”
Levitt agrees that these two dispute resolution approaches can be a powerful combination. “The integration of mediation and collaborative law brings alternative dispute resolution to a higher level—mediation can be a critical part of the collaborative process and vice-versa. We’re excited to share ways to creatively use both processes.”
For more information, contact MCFM at 781-449-4430 or masscouncil@