The Chattanooga Bar Association Monday night celebrated Mediation Awareness Week at PLACE. Pictured from left to right are attorney Joe Manuel, CBA Executive Director Lynda Hood, attorney Roger Dickson, attorney Pat Vital, and Hamilton County Circuit Court Judge Neil Thomas. Excluding Hood, all are legal professionals serving as mediators and advocates in this jurisdiction.
Since 2011, the American Bar Association has declared time each October to recognize the strides the American justice system has made in integrating mediation as one of several appropriate dispute resolution processes. The tremendous growth over the last decade in the use of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution recognizes that not all cases are well-suited for the adversarial process and that there are multiple paths to justice. This view has been increasingly shared and adopted among attorneys, judges, and the public.
“The judges, practicing attorneys, and public of the Greater Chattanooga, Tenn., community have actively embraced and supported the benefits available through mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution,” said Vital. “The Chattanooga Bar Association and its members are pleased to join many in celebrating mediation awareness in communities across our nation this October.” v