I don't think I could spend another minute in that court room, he thought to himself wearily, stretching his arms high above his head, interlocking and cracking the joints of his fingers, then lowering them to rest once more on the belly of his hand-tailored dress shirt.
His smartphone buzzed, and a text notification appeared.
Honey, don't forget: your membership fees for the American Bar Association are due soon. I hope I'll get to see you tonight, but if not, I love you! [Authoritative Organization]
Evan slumped in his chair. Would it really be so bad to be disbarred? He thought vainly. Maybe I'd see my family once in a while? Or go to my cousin's wedding?
Sighing sorrowfully, he pulled out his laptop and quickly navigated to the Bar's webpage to pay his dues... When something caught his eye.
Sighing sorrowfully, he pulled out his laptop and quickly navigated to the Bar's webpage to pay his dues... When something caught his eye.
"Annual Spring Conference for Alternative Dispute Resolution?" He muttered to himself, clicking the link. [Influential Event] It was only a few months away. Evan had seriously considered mediation when first choosing his career, but it was such a new avenue with very few professionals and experts, and, after reading the official standards of practice, he had several concerns about the lack of national requirements to become a mediator; now, in just a few short years, they had their own community, supported by the Bar! [Regulating Standards]He quickly paid his fees, and added a few extra dollars to join the ADR community- After all, they promised to send their semi-annual edition of the official ADR magazine, an opportunity to join their roster of certified mediators, and a monthly newsletter. [Authoritative Publication]
The more he read, the more excited he got: It looked like there was even a "Mediation Week" he could attend this month where he could raise his certification concerns. [Challenging Authority]
Signing up for everything he could, for once, Evan had hope of taking his wife for a proper honeymoon. For once, Evan was happy.
Signing up for everything he could, for once, Evan had hope of taking his wife for a proper honeymoon. For once, Evan was happy.
Jared, I think your post encapsulated well the inter-workings of the role of authority within the ABA in relation to mediation and dispute resolution. This story also highlights how the communication of this authority can in many ways be life changing for a young attorney, weary from the many unbilled hours.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! lots of imagery and descriptive language! It definitely helps communicate the highs and lows of any regulating institution.
ReplyDeleteI like how this post shows that sometimes there are multiple layers of authority within a field, such as the ABA and ADR in this case. They both have a certain power and influence within their jurisdictions, but the ABA also gives the ADR power to exist.
ReplyDeletei loved the imagery you used in this story. it truly seemed like just that, a story. it was a lot of fun to read and it also contained a lot of great information.
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