Morrow Mediation

12/18/2024

Lucky 13: A Website Refresh!

After 13 wonderful years, it was time for a website refresh.

I was reluctant to make the change — I loved my original website and continued to receive compliments even after all that time. However, it was not mobile-friendly, the content was too dense (in today's digital world, less is more), and the photography (especially of me!) needed an update.

The decision to redesign was bittersweet, but I knew it was necessary.

Over a period of six months, with the incredible patience and support of my design team at Meraki Branding (the dynamic duo of Yana Frigelis and Youly Tiligada was simply exceptional) and the contributions of Akivito Berns, Hudson Taylor, Kenne Francis and Oliver Morrow, we worked hard to create something new while honouring what I loved about the old site.

The result? A clean, contemporary site that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

The information is presented clearly and succinctly, the photography is updated, and I’m thrilled that some key elements of my previous site — like its colours and branding — remain as a nod to its legacy.

This was truly a team effort — proof that, as the saying goes, "It takes a village!"

I'm proud of what we accomplished and excited to share my new site with you.

I’d love for you to pay a visit and let me know what you think!

Here's the link: the new site: https://www.morrowmediation.ca/

10/21/2023

I’ve spent the majority of my career shining the spotlight on others.

Now I’m doing something I don’t often do - I’m turning that spotlight back on myself.

As a mediator, my role is to come in as a blank screen. Parties use that screen to project their version of a case, along with their goals and needs.

I’ve been successful as a blank screen, but now I get to come out front and take a bow.

On November 9, I will be honoured by the Ontario Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Section as its 2023 recipient of the Award of Excellence.

I have been a proud OBA member for decades, along with a past chair of the ADR Section, but to receive this honour is truly something special.

It’s a celebration of the years I’ve spent helping to navigate tough and often intractable conflicts, which has included mediating over 1500 disputes over the course of my career.

It’s also a recognition of everything that I’ve given back to the ADR community, including peers and students, through mentorship, teaching, lecturing, support, volunteer work, and a commitment to making ADR a first choice for the resolution of conflict.

There will be cocktails, followed by a banquet dinner and some esteemed speakers and attendees. I hope that you’ll come out to join us.

To register and purchase tickets, please click the link in the first comment below.

01/29/2022

Early yesterday morning, as the sun rose, I was joined at my neighbourhood rink by seven friends for a game of shinny.

Shinny, for those unfamiliar, is an informal type of pick-up ice hockey historically played on lakes or ponds (ergo, the term “pond hockey”).

For an hour, we didn’t think about work, family responsibilities, to-do lists or any of the big issues of the day.

It’s in moments like these that you appreciate life’s simple pleasures – community, friends, the outdoors, exercise, and a little healthy competition.

I can’t think of a better way to start a day.

Cold fingers and toes.

Warm hearts.

03/07/2021

For those of us living in the northern hemisphere, February can be a challenging month at the best of times. And, in the midst of a pandemic, these are extraordinary times.

But, if we look deep enough, we can always find silver linings and heartwarming stories.

I was proud to be part of a passionate group of volunteers that dedicated early mornings and evenings to building and maintaining a skating rink for our neighbourhood.

The joy the rink brought to our community was written all over the smiling faces of those, young and old, who enjoyed it for the six weeks it flourished.

It’s now March and, with longer days and the changing angle of the sun, the rink is now a memory.

Its memory will endure as a symbol of what collaboration and positivity can create during challenging times.

I strive to bring the same mindset to my work as a mediator.

What stories of hope, inspiration and community are you drawing strength from at this time?

04/14/2020

Enjoyed being interviewed by Anita Balakrishnan, of Law Times, on the challenges and opportunities for the field of , and particularly , with the use of platforms during the crisis.

Mediation and online dispute resolution offers both challenges and opportunities

03/19/2020

I’m fortunate to be able to continue offering my services as a mediator during the COVID-19 crisis. I’ll be doing so online through Zoom Pro, which provides a seamless experience that replicates all the benefits of an in-person mediation. I’ll be delivering these services with an eye to helping those less fortunate who are the most vulnerable at this time, the homeless and people living in poverty. Thanks to Colm Brannigan, FCIArb., C. Med., C. Arb. and Marc Bhalla, LL.M. (DR), long time proponents of ODR, for blazing the online trail. Please reach out to me (www.morrowmediation.ca, [email protected], 416-924-7400) to find out more about ODR, schedule a mediation or simply to chat. We could all use a bit more chat time in these uncertain times.

The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has hit us all like a ton of bricks, particularly over the past week, as each day brings a new development. Social distancing,...

07/11/2019

More than 70% of professional conduct complaints against and involve client service issues, including client communication, expectations management and project management deficiencies. These complaints are stressful, time-consuming and costly for everyone involved. But, what if more than 50% of those complaints could be reduced through mandatory , and ? What a win-win that would be for the and the public.

Increased mandatory programming to address better client communication and file management could seriously trim complaints to the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) against lawyers and paralegals, says Toronto mediator Bernard Morrow.

06/24/2019

Recent legislative changes and the movement have triggered an increase in demand for . But, after the completion of an adversarial, divisive and disruptive investigation process, the challenging and important work of bringing a workplace back together again shouldn't be left to the . That restorative work calls for an independent .

Organizations faced with workplace conflicts may be required to call in an independent investigator to uncover the root cause of the issues and make recommendations but they shouldn’t, as a general rule, retain the same person to mediate, says Toronto mediator Bernard Morrow.

06/04/2019

I've been receiving an unprecedented number of inquiries for mediation services for human rights complaints currently before the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO). It's time for the Ford government to take a serious look at using private mediators and adjudicators to address a significant backlog at the HRTO.

Out-of-the-box thinking is required to address the backlog of cases at the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (HRTO) due to a shortage of adjudicators, says Toronto mediator Bernard Morrow.

04/13/2019

Early of workplace disputes presents a tradeoff between costs savings and information sharing, but it's generally worth the risk.

Employers and employees must weigh the benefits of potentially significant cost savings against the uncertainty of an incomplete record when opting to mediate their workplace disputes early in the litigation process, Toronto mediator Bernard Morrow tells AdvocateDaily.com.

02/19/2019

The conversation around success shouldn't begin and end with .

Cooling-off periods and interim agreements can help parties consolidate gains made in mediation, even if the session did not result in a settlement, Toronto mediator Bernard Morrow tells AdvocateDaily.com.