(The Fall 2011 issue of Mediation News, the newsletter of the New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators (NJAPM), contains a short article on NJAPM’s newly-formed Estate and Elder Mediation Special Interest Group. The article is reproduced below. If you have an interest in this emerging practice area, please contact me or simply come to a monthly meeting. All are welcome.)

The Estate and Elder Mediation Special Interest Group, came into existence in October 2010. The group is chaired by Donald D. Vanarelli, Esq., APM.

The mission of the group is to promote public awareness of elder and estate mediation as the preferred alternative to litigation, provide education in elder and estate mediation to the public, the government and the professions, to protect the public through Standards of Conduct for elder and estate mediators and become a training, education and collegial resource for elder and estate mediators in New Jersey.

The group’s accomplishments to date include the development of a mission plan, the formation of Marketing and Education subcommittees, and the development of an Elder Mediation Training Program to be held on March 29, 2012. The group also schedules guest speakers on a periodic basis for the monthly meetings. One of the past speakers included David Ricci from Adult Protective Services.

Future goals for 2012 include additional guest speakers at the monthly meetings, the development of elder mediation marketing tools and group educational presentations to various organizations in an effort to promote elder mediation. Group members generally meet on the last Monday of each month at the NJ Law Center at 6:00 pm. For more information, or to become a member, please contact Donald Vanarelli at www.vanarellilaw.com.

For more information on mediation in New Jersey, visit the NJAPM website at www.njapm.org.