Almost Done Isn't Done: The Art & Law of Closing Mediation Settlements That Stick - Oct. 29th, 2026

This program is part of AAA’s inaugural Mediation Month, a centennial celebration centered on the theme “The Final Mile of Mediation.”

Location: Malibu, CA

Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution
Pepperdine Caruso School of Law
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90263

Time: 4:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. (Pacific Time)

Registration Fees: General: $125.00. AAA Mediators receive a $30.00 discount using 26MED001 at checkout.

The AAA thanks the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law for hosting this program in partnership with AAA. Learn more about the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution here: https://law.pepperdine.edu/straus/

Program Description:

It's late. The parties said yes. Now the real work begins. Getting to agreement is only half the battle. The deals that fall apart — the ones that end up back in court, mired in enforcement motions, or unraveling in the long-form drafting process — almost always fail because of what happened (or didn't happen) in the final hour of the mediation and the critical days that followed.

Every experienced mediator and litigator knows the feeling. After hours of hard negotiation, the parties finally reach a number. Hands are shaken. Relief fills the room. The mediator starts thinking about dinner. And then — three days later, three weeks later, or three months later — the deal falls apart. A settlement that looks good on paper is not a good resolution unless it actually works. And the gap between a settlement that looks done and a settlement that is done — truly, durably, and “enforceably” done — is exactly where the most consequential mistakes in mediation practice are made. This session is about that gap.

What This Session Covers:

Join two of Los Angeles's experienced mediators and mediation trainers for a candid, practical, and case-law-driven conversation about the closing phase of mediation and the critical period that follows — an area that is underrepresented in continuing legal education but overrepresented in malpractice claims, enforcement motions, and post-settlement litigation.

This is the session you wish you had attended before the deal that almost wasn't.

Faculty:

Brenda Radmacher, AAA Mediator and Arbitrator
Stephanie Blondell, Professor of Law and Practice

CLE Information:

Cerifi LegalEdge is coordinating the application process for continuing legal education (CLE) credit on behalf of the American Arbitration Association. CLE credit has been requested in California.

Approval and credit amounts are subject to each jurisdiction’s review and rules and therefore cannot be guaranteed or confirmed in advance. Final credit eligibility will be determined by the respective state CLE authorities upon review of the program and verified attendance.

AAA Education Scholarships Available:

As part of its long-standing, ongoing education mission, the American Arbitration Association grants a limited number of scholarships that cover the cost of educational program registration for content on this website. To inquire about our scholarship program, please e-mail us at Scholarships@adr.org.

Cancellation Policy:

Refunds (less a $25 processing fee) are available if a written cancellation request is received no later than 14 business days before the start of the program. Substitution of attendees can be made at any time.