Perspective on Ethical Standards for Federal Mediators and Ombuds

On November 8th the Federal Interagency ADR Working Group (IADRWG), Contracts and Procurement and Workplace Conflict Management Sections, sponsored a presentation on Ethical Standards for Federal Mediators and Ombuds. Howard Gadlin, who is the Ombudsman and Director of the Center for Cooperative Resolution at the National Institutes of Health, explained how the ethical standards for ombuds differ from those for mediators. Gadlin articulated the ombud's unique dilemma of being the "inside outsider," where the virtues of the job can quickly become liabilities. A summary of the event is available from the American Bar Association, Section on Dispute Resolution. (ABA DR Section.)