On September 15, 2014, the Interagency Alternative Dispute Resolution Working Group, the group that promotes ADR within the U.S. government, published the first issue of a newsletter, Resolving Conflict. Victor Voloshin, IADRWG Steering Committee Chair explained that the inaugural newsletter gives some background about the IADRWG and provides a historic perspective on the development of the Federal ADR. It also features some of the current ADR programs within Federal agencies. 

Articles in the newsletter include: 

• "Welcome Letter" by Victor Voloshin, Chief Mediation Officer at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and IADRWG Steering Committee Chair; 
• "History and Mission of the Interagency Alternative Dispute Resolution Group" by Melissa Leibman, Staff Attorney at the Office of Dispute Resolution, Department of Justice; 
• "The Administrative Conference and the Development of Federal ADR" by David M. Pritzker, Deputy General Counsel at the Administrative Conference of the United States; 
• "The Use of ADR at the Office of Special Counsel" by Jane Juliano, Chief of the ADR Unit at the Office of Special Counsel; and 
• "The Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution (CADR) at the Department of Interior" by Matthew Costello, Acting Director of the CADR Office at Department of the Interior. 

Voloshin also said that the IADRWG has written a new report to the President on the benefits of ADR in the federal sector and submitted it to the Justice Department for review and approval.  (IADRWG Sep 2014 Newsletter.)

Related Ombuds Blog posts: Coalition of Federal Ombuds Eyes Strategic Initiatives.