Terri Breer started her career as a trial attorney, handling primarily real estate, business and family law litigation. As a litigator she learned that she preferred to solve her clients’ legal problems through negotiated settlements, rather than through the adversarial litigation process. This was particularly true with respect to her family law practice, where she focused on settling family law disputes whenever possible. In many cases she found that divorcing couples were able to make their own decisions with their spouses concerning the parenting of their children, payment of support and the division of their assets, but that they were often simply uninformed, overwhelmed and confused with regard to their rights, and the role of the court in their divorce. She found that when clients were able to control the outcome of the divorce process rather than face the uncertainty and conflict of litigation, their families suffered less and their finances were preserved.
To learn more about how you can assist your clients through transformative mediation join Ms. Breer as she discusses how this new form of dispute resolution can be deployed to resolve disputes involving special relationships. The main topics discussed include the fundamentals of the mediation process, traditional & transformative mediation, changing the quality & dynamic of conflict interaction, disputes involving special relationships, the nature of conflict and practical considerations. Further issues addressed include facilitative mediation, shuttle diplomacy, first generation mediation, the purpose of mediation, four stories of the mediation process (satisfaction, social justice, oppression & transformative), second generation mediation, going beyond resolving conflict, transformative mediation, the legal system vs. family systems, consensual dispute resolution, collaborative practice, elder issues, HOA disputes, workplace disputes, the conflict cycle, empowerment & recognition, transformative techniques, the benefits of transformative mediation, case examples, further resources and transformative mediation vs. therapy.
Terri Breer has been practicing law and mediation in Orange County for twenty-seven years. She found that when clients were able to control the outcome of the process rather than face the uncertainty and conflict of litigation, her clients suffered less and their finances were better preserved. She obtained her undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California in 1981 and obtained her law degree at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California in 1985. She is currently the Chair Elect of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) – Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Section. Her current and past affiliations include the Orange County Bar Association – ADR and Family Law Sections, Board Member of Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse, Costa Mesa Community Redevelopment Action Committee, Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, Irvine Chamber of Commerce, Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce, Financial Women International, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), Orange County Collaborative Divorce Solutions.