Lawrence Kolin, a mediator and arbitrator with Upchurch Watson White & Max, was on hand for the City of Orlando to declare Oct. 16-22, 2016, American Bar Association Mediation Week. Lawrence, a resident of the city's historic College Park neighborhood and author of the award-winning "blawg" Orlando Mediator, got to step into the speaker's well and say a few words on the occasion for the Oct. 10 city council meeting.
The proclamation reads, in part:
"Whereas, mediation, along with the principles and practices that it embodies, can be a crucial tool for peacemaking between individuals, groups, units, neighborhoods, as well as governments and our region continues to be a leader in those efforts ... now, therefore, I, Mayor Buddy Dyer, on behalf of our Council and the residents of our City, do hereby declare October 16th through October 22nd, 2016 "Mediation Week" in the City of Orlando, recognizing the importance of the availability of alternative dispute resolution services to the citizens of our community."