Every once in a great while, a group of people perform a voluntary service of hard and diligent effort that produces a result of excellence and provides great value to others. That is precisely what a small group of people did in creating model local rules and supporting commentary on bankruptcy mediation.

ABI’s Mediation Committee, under the current leadership of Leslie Berkoff and John Loughnane, presented the first “Portable Mediation Program” at Suffolk Law School in Boston on May 9, 2019. The program was designed by Lou Kornreich and John Loughnane as co-chairs of the committee’s Special Projects subcommittee.

In the last edition of this newsletter, Ed Schnitzer provided us with an excellent summary of the how and when a mediator may determine the absence of good faith. With an eye on topics of interest, Don Swanson republished Ed’s article on his weekly blog with an invitation for comment. I did just that and my response elicited further comment from many colleagues.

You were just recently selected as the mediator in a large chapter 11 case, and the judge happily approved your selection. You prepare, you schedule, and you then look forward to what you believe will be a successful mediation session.