World leader in mediation to attend major Edinburgh conference in May

William Ury, co-founder of Harvard’s Program on Negotiation, global expert on negotiation and mediation and co-author of Getting to Yes (pictured), will be the keynote speaker at the 2018 International Academy of Mediators (IAM) Annual Conference being held in Edinburgh between 9 and 12 May, where he will also receive a Lifetime Achievement Award. On Saturday 12 May, Dr Ury will be speaking in the chamber of the Scottish Parliament.

John Sturrock QC, conference host and chair and a Distinguished Fellow of the IAM, said: “I cannot over-emphasise what a privilege it is to have William Ury coming back to Scotland. His visit in 2009 was a highlight in my professional life. His work in places like the Middle East and Colombia is so significant. He is quite simply a world leader in our field.”

The conference theme is “Looking Outward – a New Enlightenment?” and the conference will attended by dispute resolution professionals from around the world. On Wednesday 9 May, there is an open to all guest lecture by award-winning Professor Hal Abramson, entitled “Nelson Mandela as Negotiator: What We can Learn from Him?”

The International Academy of Mediators is widely regarded as the pre-eminent gathering of commercial mediators in the world and is dedicated to promoting mediation as a preferred means of resolving disputes.

Fostering the highest standards of integrity and competence in commercial dispute mediation, it promotes the study and understanding of the mediation process and seeks to educate the public, courts and legislative bodies on effective and appropriate uses of mediation.

IAM President, Jeff Jury said: “The IAM is honoured to host our 2018 conference in Edinburgh and share expertise with some of the finest commercial mediators in the world.”

Photo credit: By Carl Studna - Photographer, CC BY-SA 3.0.