As mediators here in the U.S. know, the Uniform Mediation Act holds significant import for the practice of mediation, particularly with respect to issues of confidentiality and privilege. All eyes are watching closely as Utah appears ready to adopt the Uniform Mediation Act (UMA), with some amendments. Click here to view the text of the current bill.

If it does take this step, Utah will be in good company–Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, and Washington State have already enacted the UMA. In addition, the Council of the District of Columbia has also passed its own version of the UMA, which currently awaits the Mayor’s signature.

Curious about the status of the Uniform Mediation Act as well as other uniform acts in all 50 U.S. states? Visit the web site for the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, select the act you’re interested in retrieving information for, then choose the state, and click on search.

Here in Massachusetts, the word on the street says that the Uniform Mediation Act is somewhere in committee, but not even politically connected mediators know what the fate of the bill is at this time. It would be nice if someone decides to hold a public hearing to discuss the UMA on its merits, since there are plenty of us who’d like to add our two cents to the debate.

For more information on the Uniform Mediation Act, stop by the Association for Conflict Resolution. You may also want to read Robert Benjamin’s essay from back in 2001 on the UMA as Trojan horse.)

(This story is via the DisputEd gang, always with their ears to the ground.)

Never mind tort reform. Train lawyers in alternative dispute resolution.

A good starting place is the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Law, which is still accepting applications for its one-year residential Master of Laws in Dispute Resolution.

According to John Lande, Associate Professor and Director of the LL.M. Program, applicants submitting complete files by March 15 receive decisions in April; applications received after March 15 will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

The student body is a diverse one–to get a sense of the students who enroll, L.L.M. student biographies can be viewed here. Admissions information, course descriptions, faculty bios, and information on careers related to dispute resolution are all available at the School of Law web site.

Law bloggers may be interested to hear that law students can obtain dual degrees from the University of Missouri’s Journalism School (M.A. or Ph.D.). For information on these dual degree programs, contact Professor Richard Reuben.

Questions about the L.L.M. in Dispute Resolution? Feel free to contact Professor Lande at (573) 882-3914, landej [at] missouri.edu, or Karen Neylon, the program coordinator, at (573) 882-2020, umclawcdr [at] missouri.edu.

Arbitrators, mark your calendars (and pack your sunscreen).

The International Centre for Dispute Resolution, a division of the American Arbitration Association, has announced the 4th Annual Miami International Arbitration Conference, scheduled for March 26 through March 28, 2006, at the Trump International Sonesta Beach Resort, Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. This year’s theme focuses upon the “Critical Role of the Judiciary in International Arbitration”.

To register online, visit the American Arbitration Association web site. To download the brochure in PDF format, click here. If you have questions or need further information about the Conference, contact Lorena Garza (305-358-7777 by phone or GarzaL@adr.org by email).