Wissler named co-chair of ABA task force

Roselle Wissler, research director of the College of Law’s Lodestar Dispute Resolution Program, has been named co-chair of the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution Task Force on Research on Mediator Techniques.

According to the ABA, the task force will seek to advance the understanding of mediation quality by looking closely at the techniques mediators employ.

Wissler and fellow co-chair Gary Weiner, a mediator in private practice, created a proposal for the task force, which states the group's two main goals: identifying, assessing, distilling and disseminating the findings of existing empirical research on the effectiveness of mediator techniques and laying the groundwork for future empirical research to address unanswered questions, and developing ongoing links between researchers and practitioners so that future research findings can be incorporated into mediation practice.

Wissler conducts empirical research on mediation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution processes. Her research and writings address various policy issues relating to ADR and examine the factors that contribute to the use and effectiveness of ADR processes. Wissler’s other research interests include alternate compensation systems and decision-making concerning liability and damages in civil cases.