Resolving Disputes Alternatively
Nov. 11th, 2003 03:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ciroccojSo. The ADR interview. Actually, the two ADR interviews.
ADR #1: The Make-Believe One
Had a wonderfully exciting time today, starting at 8:30 with 1.5h of Contracts, followed at 10:00 with 1.5h of Property, followed at 11:30 with our ADR interview. I don't think one day was ever meant to hold that much mesmerizingly gripping subject matter.
I mean, in Contracts, we dealt with privity and whether stevedores who'd damaged a steel drum while taking it off a ship were covered by the liability insurance between the owner and the ship. Then in Property we looked at whether a person with a life estate in a house was entitled to be compensated for repairs on the roof by the person who stood to inherit the house after their death. Then at ADR we dealt with whether an executive who was fired for breach of confidentiality and escorted off the premises by security guards was entitled to punitive damages or whether there was an alternative way to resolve their dispute with their former employers.
(The answers are No, Yes, and Maybe. Because I know you're all dying to know.)
ADR went mostly OK, even though I was less than thrilled with my partner, who'd told me yesterday that she didn't want to be "tied down" by facts and case law, and just really preferred to "wing it". And who, as of yesterday, had only a hazy idea of what it was we were supposed to deal with during the interview. She was reading the assignment questions during our meeting, for the very first time. Did not inspire a great deal of confidence in me.
Whatever. Apparently she pulled an all-nighter, and seemed reasonably prepared. Our interviewee said we got all the relevant information from her and worked well together, which is good because we're supposed to work together again in January. My heart leaps at the prospect.
ADR #2: The Real One
Not looking forward to Thursday, when we will be at a real-life ADR conference in Toronto re. our lawsuit. Every time I think of the lawsuit I get a sinking feeling. Chris doesn't worry about it, but then, he tends to have a much rosier view of life and the future than I do. He thinks "lawsuit = compensation" - for lost income and lost possibilities of income due to his accident and its permanent effects on his ability to work (Canadian law doesn't do much for pain and suffering in accidents.)
Me? I think "lawsuit = huge risk". Possibly we'll end up in the same financial position we would have been in if there had been no accident. But possibly we'll get none of it back, and instead just end up owing our lawyers mucho dinero that we don't have, in large part because of Chris' accident.
Anyway. Can't think about it any more. Too nerve-wracking.
Non ADR-Related Stuff
I came home a little later than usual yesterday, and as I was walking home from the bus stop I ran into Justin and his babysitter on their way to the park. Justin was very, very excited to see me, and wanted to come home, but by the time I reached them Debbie had explained to him that Mama had to go home to work, and Mama would just say hello and then come pick him up at the regular time. He looked at me hopefully and I agreed with Debbie, thinking it would be nice to take him home but I really, really had to prep for ADR. I gave him a hug and he started look upset, but tried really really hard not to cry. He gave me a hug and said something like, "Can I come home please?" and looked at me with his "trying to be brave" face, little lower lip starting to quiver, and... hell. Screams and tantrums don't do a thing with me, but I'm a sucker for the brave look.
So I took him home. And he just about went into orbit, he was so happy. We went up to the study and I worked on my ADR on one computer while he played Dora the Explorer on the other computer and told me all about his day. Then we had a snack of apple and pumpkin pie, and I think he said, "This is the BEST DAY! This is the BEST SNACK!! I LOVE YOU MAMA!!!" about twenty times.
Funny how easy it is to make them happy some days.
ADR #1: The Make-Believe One
Had a wonderfully exciting time today, starting at 8:30 with 1.5h of Contracts, followed at 10:00 with 1.5h of Property, followed at 11:30 with our ADR interview. I don't think one day was ever meant to hold that much mesmerizingly gripping subject matter.
I mean, in Contracts, we dealt with privity and whether stevedores who'd damaged a steel drum while taking it off a ship were covered by the liability insurance between the owner and the ship. Then in Property we looked at whether a person with a life estate in a house was entitled to be compensated for repairs on the roof by the person who stood to inherit the house after their death. Then at ADR we dealt with whether an executive who was fired for breach of confidentiality and escorted off the premises by security guards was entitled to punitive damages or whether there was an alternative way to resolve their dispute with their former employers.
(The answers are No, Yes, and Maybe. Because I know you're all dying to know.)
ADR went mostly OK, even though I was less than thrilled with my partner, who'd told me yesterday that she didn't want to be "tied down" by facts and case law, and just really preferred to "wing it". And who, as of yesterday, had only a hazy idea of what it was we were supposed to deal with during the interview. She was reading the assignment questions during our meeting, for the very first time. Did not inspire a great deal of confidence in me.
Whatever. Apparently she pulled an all-nighter, and seemed reasonably prepared. Our interviewee said we got all the relevant information from her and worked well together, which is good because we're supposed to work together again in January. My heart leaps at the prospect.
ADR #2: The Real One
Not looking forward to Thursday, when we will be at a real-life ADR conference in Toronto re. our lawsuit. Every time I think of the lawsuit I get a sinking feeling. Chris doesn't worry about it, but then, he tends to have a much rosier view of life and the future than I do. He thinks "lawsuit = compensation" - for lost income and lost possibilities of income due to his accident and its permanent effects on his ability to work (Canadian law doesn't do much for pain and suffering in accidents.)
Me? I think "lawsuit = huge risk". Possibly we'll end up in the same financial position we would have been in if there had been no accident. But possibly we'll get none of it back, and instead just end up owing our lawyers mucho dinero that we don't have, in large part because of Chris' accident.
Anyway. Can't think about it any more. Too nerve-wracking.
Non ADR-Related Stuff
I came home a little later than usual yesterday, and as I was walking home from the bus stop I ran into Justin and his babysitter on their way to the park. Justin was very, very excited to see me, and wanted to come home, but by the time I reached them Debbie had explained to him that Mama had to go home to work, and Mama would just say hello and then come pick him up at the regular time. He looked at me hopefully and I agreed with Debbie, thinking it would be nice to take him home but I really, really had to prep for ADR. I gave him a hug and he started look upset, but tried really really hard not to cry. He gave me a hug and said something like, "Can I come home please?" and looked at me with his "trying to be brave" face, little lower lip starting to quiver, and... hell. Screams and tantrums don't do a thing with me, but I'm a sucker for the brave look.
So I took him home. And he just about went into orbit, he was so happy. We went up to the study and I worked on my ADR on one computer while he played Dora the Explorer on the other computer and told me all about his day. Then we had a snack of apple and pumpkin pie, and I think he said, "This is the BEST DAY! This is the BEST SNACK!! I LOVE YOU MAMA!!!" about twenty times.
Funny how easy it is to make them happy some days.
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The best snack ever
Date: 2003-11-11 01:23 pm (UTC)Re: The best snack ever
Date: 2003-11-11 02:29 pm (UTC)Re: The best snack ever
Date: 2003-11-11 02:42 pm (UTC)Re: The best snack ever
Date: 2003-11-11 03:48 pm (UTC)I bet : ) :) Your mom sounds like she understood exactly the right thing to do and say that day. Go her!
It's amazing how such a little thing can mean so much to a child. It's one of the most humbling things about being a parent - knowing just how much you're responsible for in another human being's life.