Fall is here and Cyberweek 2013 is just a couple weeks away!  Please make sure you save the dates of November 4^th to 8^th, 2013 and join us online for what promises to be a wonderful week of exploration and discussion regarding online dispute resolution. Registration and information is found at https://cyberweek2013.eventbrite.com/.

We are finalizing the program as we speak and this year looks to be one of the most dynamic yet with an abundance of webinars and product demos, competitions, live radio shows, simulations, and asynchronous discussion forums. This conference marks Cyberweek’s 16^th time we will bring everyone together for this virtual conference, and the activities and topics become more and more compelling each time. We are looking forward to an engaging environment appropriate for all levels of students, practitioners, and scholars.

This year we have 13 live webinars on the schedule. Two to Three webinars with experts and innovators in the field, offering opportunities to engage in live conversations regarding various online dispute resolution topics, will be offered each day. The final webinar will feature leaders from the field of Online Dispute Resolution including Ethan Katsh and Colin Rule to bring together all that took place during Cyberweek and how it can provide a springboard to the ODR Forum in Silicon Valley next June.

There will be plenty of insightful and dynamic discussion forums providing an opportunity for asynchronous engagement regarding topics such as:

• The Feasibility of Using ODR in Cross-Border Family Cases
• Which Video Conferencing Software Works Best for Online Mediation

• The Role of Technology in Creating a Safe Internet for Teens
• ODR Facilitation vs. Face-to-Face Problem Resolution
• ODR Government initiatives around the globe

Many of the discussion forums are appropriate for students to participate in, and we look forward to professors encouraging their students to be active in the dialogues that take place. The field of ODR has developed through a constant flow of newcomers pushing the technological and substantive envelope, and new voices are not only welcomed, but highly valued.

Professors might want to engage their students in these special activities:

• The annual ABA Ethics student competition. Once again students will be able to respond to a case regarding ethics in ODR and will have their submissions judged by experts.
• The e-mediation competition coordinated by Cornell University. This opportunity will allow students to practice the online dispute resolution platform Modria as they participate in simulated mediations. Students will need to register for this event separately and this info will be shared shortly. For further information, please contact Katrina Nobles at kn64@cornell.edu.
• The many webinar, product demos and discussion forums. All of these activities provide the opportunity for your student to actively participate by posting their thoughts and ideas to the various forums these activities are embedded in.

Two very popular activities from 2012 will be back again for Cyberweek 2013:

• ODR  Twitter chat
• Two Internet radio programs regarding Online Dispute Resolution. One hosted by Pattie Porter with special guest Leah Wing and the other hosted by Dave Hilton with special guest Daniel Rainey.

Further information regarding these events will be found in the Cyberweek 2013 website when the conference launches.

As you can see, there is plenty to look forward to and it promises to be a wonderful week of discussion and exploration. Register soon for Cyberweek, if you have not done so already, at https://cyberweek2013.eventbrite.com/. If you are already registered, please pass this information on to others who may not be aware of this free, educational conference regarding online dispute resolution.

One final note, the platform that the conference is hosted on is www.adrhub.com. This website is a great central resource for all things related to conflict resolution. To engage in the activities you will need to sign up as a member of this site. It is free and simple to do. Please do so prior to the week so you can be ready to go on day one of Cyberweek. If you participated in Cyberweek last year, you are already a member and will just have to simply sign on with your username and password.

We are looking forward to the week and will be updating registered participants to the rest of the programming and schedule as the conference approaches.

Take care,

Bryan J. Hanson

Assistant Director of the Werner Institute
Creighton University
School of Law