Congratulations to Peter Yakimowich, Carter Paden and Aaron Bridgers-Carlos, graduates of the PDRS Training Institute, who recently were awarded Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Listing by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Commission.  We also want to congratulate Bonnie Woodward-Weller for obtaining her Family Mediator Listing.   For more details on obtaining Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 and Listing, click here

The PDRS Institute will hold its next mediator training March 23-27 in Chattanooga.  Click here to register,

What will you learn…Basic mediation theory, as well as, real-world application.

Upcoming Course Schedule:

March 23-27, 2015
40-hour General Civil Mediation
46-hour Family Mediation

March 24-26, 2015
Family to General Civil Mediation Cross-Over

March 24-27, 2015
General Civil to Family Mediation Cross-Over

March 24, 2015
General Civil Mediation Law, Ethics and More
Family Mediation Law, Ethics and More

For more details, contact us at (423) 266-4050 or
[email protected]

The PDRS Training Institute staff would like to congratulate recent graduates of 40-hour General Civil Mediation Training.

Participants in the Winter Mediation Training Institute were thrilled when the instructors announced “class dismissed” on the final day of the week-long General Civil Mediation course. “This course was fantastic. It was demanding and allowed for a lot of growth and development”, commented Kate Sheets, an organizer for SEUI Local 205.

“This was a remarkably diversified and hard-working group”, said lead co-trainer Terry Croghan. “They remained completely engaged throughout a long, demanding and intensive week of instruction and practical exercises. Not only that, they did it with a level of good humor and collegiality that made the whole experience just plain fun, for us and all of them.”

We look forward to working with these professionals again as they continue to develop their collaborative mediation and mediation advocacy skills.

Kendra Biggs, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Eric Burnette, Burnette, Dobson & Pinchak
Steve Dobson, Burnette, Dobson & Pinchak
Jerry Estes, Jerry N. Estes Law Offices, P.L.L.C.
Marc Harwell, Leitner, Williams, Dooley & Napolitan
Kate Sheets, SEUI Local 205
Carol Watkins, Church of God
Peter Yakimowich, Professional Engineer

Also an extended thank you to our training staff: Lead Trainers: Carol Berz and Terry Croghan along with Ed Nanney, Regina McDevitt and Joe Manuel

For more details on upcoming mediation courses click HERE

On September 19, 2014, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission presented the Jocelyn D. Wurzburg Civil Rights Legacy Award to Dr. Carol Berz, President of Private Dispute Resolution Services in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The award was presented at the Commission’s regular meeting in Nashville.

The award recognizes lifelong work toward the principles of inclusion, equity, equality, access and diversity. In a letter to Dr, Berz, who is President of Private Dispute Resolution Services, THRC Executive Director Beverly Watts acknowledged Berz’s “dedication and leadership in cultivating more inclusive and equitable communities.”

The award will coincide with the release of the 2014 State of Human Rights in Tennessee Report by the Commission.

If you are in Nashville on September 19, please join Dr. Berz as she is recognized by our state’s human rights governing body. The commission is located in the William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower, 312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue in Nashville.

PDRS presented a 3-hour workshop on Collaborative Problem-Solving at the 17th Annual TRAA Legislative & Leadership Conference March 20-22, in Washington DC. The theme of this year’s conference was “Communication Leads to Cooperation”.