EDUCATION
J.D., cum laude, University of Minnesota
M.A., Counseling Psychology, University of Minnesota
B.A., Humanities, University of California at Berkeley
PUBLICATIONS
Self-Determination in Mediation: The Art and Science of Mirrors and Lights, with Tara West (Rowman and Littlefield, 2022).
“Transformative Mediation”, with Joseph P. Folger, chapter in The Mediation Handbook: Research, theory and practice (Routledge, 2017)
“Transformative Mediation for Divorce: Rising above the law and the settlement”, chapter in Transformative Mediation – A Sourcebook (ACR & ISCT, 2010)
Dan Simon’s Blog for the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation
Simon Mediation on YouTube
LICENSES, CERTIFICATIONS, AND QUALIFICATIONS
Licensed to practice law in Minnesota since 1992.
Qualified Neutral on the Minnesota Supreme Court Civil Roster since 1996.
Qualified Neutral on the Minnesota Supreme Court Family Roster since 1998.
Certified by the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation as a “Certified Transformative Mediator” since 2007.
Certified by Mediate.com as a “Certified Mediator” since 2009.
PROFESSIONAL RATINGS
AV – highest possible rating, Martindale -Hubbell.
10.0 out of 10, Superb, Avvo.com .
POSITIONS IN SUPPORT OF THE PROFESSION
Board Member, Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation, ongoing.
Fellow, Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation, ongoing.
Board Member, Dispute Resolution Center of Saint Paul, ongoing.
Chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Section, 1 term.
Member, Minnesota Supreme Court’s ADR Ethics Board, two 3-year terms.
MEDIA APPEARANCES AND QUOTES
Amish Baby Machine Podcast, October 2019.
“Handling Business Disputes Constructively”, Business Newsmakers Radio with Lou Garino, 1110AM KTEK, Houston, TX, February 2016
“Dogs of Divorce”, All My Children Wear Fur Coats with Peggy Hoyt, Nature’s Channel, January 2016
“Bill Cosby’s Legal Predicament”, Mornings with Maria, Fox Business Network, December 2015
“Mediating When Divorce Goes to the Dogs”, Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 2015
“News and Views”, AM Radio WCCO 830, April 2015
Minneapolis Star Tribune, September 2014
“News and Views”, AM Radio WCCO 830, February 2014
“News and Views”, AM Radio WCCO 830, December 2013
Amish Baby Machine Comedy Podcast, December 2013
Amish Baby Machine Comedy Podcast, September 2013
Interview at MediatorAcademy.com August 2013
Radio Talkshow on WHYY in Philadelphia, August 2013
Interview at CuttingEdgeLaw.com, August 2008
Minnesota Lawyer, October 2007
St. Paul Pioneer Press, March 2003
Minnesota Law and Politics, February 2000
RECENT SPEAKING AND TRAINING
“Certified Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach,” Saint Paul, Minnesota, August 2023.
“Transformative Mediation for Divorce,” for California State University, Dominguez Hills, August 2023.
“Advanced Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach,” Santa Barbara, California, July 2023.
Practice Group for ISCT, May 2023.
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, Saint Paul, Minnesota, April 2023.
“Online Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach, ” March 2023.
Practice Group for ISCT, March 2023.
“New Definition of Mediation in Rule 114,” presented to Mediation and Restorative Services, Blaine, Minnesota, March 7, 2023.
“Self-Determination in Mediation: The Art and Science of Mirrors and Lights,” Mediate.com Book Group Discussion, January 27, 2023
Practice Group for ISCT, January 2023
“Bringin’ Agency Back”, presentation at Minnesota CLE’s ADR Institute, Minneapolis, November 2022.
“ISCT online Mediation Course”, October 2022.
“Supporting Self-Determination in Challenging Situations,” a presentation with Tara West at the Association for Conflict Resolution International Conference in Orlando, September 2022.
“Certified Civil Mediation Training,” Saint Paul, August 2022.
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training”, Saint Paul, August 2022.
“Basic Mediation Training” for the community mediation centers of St. Mary’s and Calvert County’s, Maryland, May 2022.
“ISCT Basic Mediation Training,” March 2022.
“Online Basic Mediation Training”, January 2022.
“Transformative Mediation”, guest lecture for UC:Davis conflict resolution course, December 2021.
Practice Group for the ISCT, November 2021.
“Online Basic Mediation Training,” October 2021.
“Certified Civil Mediation Training,” Saint Paul, August 2021.
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training”, Saint Paul, August 2021.
“Transformative Mediation of Family Cases,” Online for the University of Florence, Italy, May 2021.
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training”, Saint Paul, March 2021.
Practice Group for the ISCT, online, March 2021.
“Radical Self-Determination”, L.A. Office of California Lawyers for the Arts, February 2021.
“Transformative Mediation”, guest lecture at Mitchell Hamline Law School mediation clinic, January 2021.
“Online Mediation Training “- 20-Hour, online, January 2021.
“Basic Mediation Training” for the community mediation centers of St. Mary’s and Calvert County’s, Maryland, December 2020.
Practice Group for the ISCT, Online, December 2020.
“How to Make Decisions when Business Partners Disagree,” for Cherokee Investment Services, Saint Paul, November 2020.
“Certified Civil Mediation Training”, Saint Paul, November 2020.
“Self-Determination in Mediation”, Southern California Mediators Association, Westside PDG, October 2020.
“Certified Divorce & Family Mediation Training”, Saint Paul, October 2020.
“Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, Online, August 2020.
“Certified Civil Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, St. Paul, June 2020.
“Certified Divorce & Family Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach” Online, May 2020.
“Transformative Mediation Practice Group” Online for the ISCT, March & April, 2020.
“Intro to Transformative Mediation” for the SCMA, OC PD Group, Santa Ana, CA, February 2020.
“Online Mediation Training” for the ISCT, January & February, 2020.
“Transformative Mediation” webinar for UC: Davis Extension ADR course, December 2019.
“Family Conversations about Aging Parents”, Jewish Family & Children’s Service, Minneapolis, October 2019.
“Carrots, Sticks, and How Conflict Really Works”, Washington County Bar Association, Stillwater, MN, September 2019.
“Intro to Transformative Mediation”, Mitchell Hamline School of Law, St. Paul, September 2019.
“Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, Los Angeles, August 2019.
“Certified Civil Mediation Training”, St. Paul, July 2019.
“Transformative Mediation – Theory and Practice”, for the American Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section, webinar, worldwide, July 2019.
“Advanced Transformative Mediation Workshop”, the Brno Mediation Center, Brno, Czech Republic, July 2019.
“Transformative Mediation Advanced Practice”, webinar for the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation, June 2019.
“Transformative Mediation for Divorce”, webinar for the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation, June 2019.
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach” St. Paul, June 2019.
“Intro to Transformative Mediation”, webinar, worldwide, May 2019.
“Mediation Picnic – Why Transformative Mediation?”, webinar to law students in Prague, Czech Republic, May 2019.
“Elevating Your Practice”, The Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation’s Virtual Mediation Institute, worldwide, January 2019
“Managing Day-to-Day Conflict”, Minnesota Association of School Business Officers, Saint Paul, October 2018
“All Conflict is Relational”, Minnesota State Bar Association ADR Section, Minneapolis, September 2018
“Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, Santa Monica, August 2018
“Certified Civil Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, St. Paul, July 2018
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach” St. Paul, June 2018
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, Southern California Mediation Association Orange County Practice Development Group, Tustin, May 2018
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, The Mediation Center Training, St. Paul, May 2018
“Advanced Transformative Mediation Practice”, The Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation’s Virtual Mediation Institute, worldwide, May 2018
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, Southern California Mediation Association South Bay Practice Development Group, Manhattan Beach, April 2018
“What happens During a Transformative Mediation Session”, interview with Dana Costache from Bucharest, March 2018.
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, The Mediation Center Training, St. Paul, November 2017
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach” St. Paul, October 2017
“The Latest Advances in Handling Workplace Conflict”, Executive Support Leadership Forum, Minneapolis, October 2017
“Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, Los Angeles, July 2017
“Best Kept Secrets in Conflict Mediation” Webinar, June 2017
“Certified Civil Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach”, St. Paul, June 2017
“Mediating with Lawyers”, Webinar for the Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation, May 2017
“Certified Divorce and Family Mediation Training – The Transformative Approach” St. Paul, February 2017
“A New Way to Look at Conflict”, Beijing American Center, Beijing, China, November 2016
“Responding Effectively to Conflict”, St. Paul, October 2016
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation,” The Mediation Center Training, St. Louis Park, MN, October 2016
“Certified Family Mediation Training”, St. Paul, July 2016
“Integrative Law and Transformative Mediation” with J. Kim Wright at International Conference on Transformative Mediation, Dayton, OH, May 2016
“Mediation Methods”, Webinar for Minnesota CLE, Minneapolis, April 2016
“Transformative Mediation”, Webinar for Minnesota CLE, April 2016
“The Heart of Conflict” for the Minnesota Association of School Business Officers, Minneapolis, April 2015.
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation,” Mitchell Hamline College of Law Mediation Clinic
“Everything You Know about Divorce Mediation is Wrong”, Washington County Bar Association, Stillwater, MN, December 2015
“Family Mediators’ Best Practices Toolbox”, Minnesota CLE Webinar, November 2015
“Mediation Orientations. . . Can They all Be Right?”, Minnesota State Bar Association ADR Section, November 2015
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation,” The Mediation Center Training, St. Louis Park, MN, October 2015
“New Insights Into Conflict Management”, Private Investment Bank, Minneapolis, October 2015
“Responding Effectively to Conflict”, Institute for the Study of Conflict Transformation, St. Paul, September 2015
“Certified Family & Divorce Mediation Training”, September – November, 2015
“Big Changes for Rule 114,” for the Minnesota State Bar Association, ADR Section, Minneapolis, September 2015
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation,” The Mediation Center Training, St. Louis Park, MN, August 2015
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, Hamline University Law School, July 2015
“Advanced Mediation Training”, St. Paul, June 2015
“Responding Effectively to Conflict”, Hofstra University School of Law, May 2015
“Negotiating Under Pressure”, St. Paul, May 2015
“The Latest Techniques of Workplace Mediation or Why No One Goes Postal Anymore”, workshop at the Annual Conference of the Twin Cities Human Resource Association, Minneapolis, April 2015
“Certified Civil Mediation Training, St. Paul, MN, April 2015
“Certified Family Mediation Training”, St. Paul, MN, March 2015
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, William Mitchell College of Law, March 2015.
“Ethical Dilemmas for Mediators” 2014 MSBA ADR Institute, Minneapolis, October 2014
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation for Divorce”, The Mediation Center Training, St. Louis Park, MN, October 2014
“What’s Mediation Really About?”, William Mitchell College of Law, St. Paul, MN, October 2014
“Early Intervention Workplace Mediation”, Private Client, Fridley, MN, August 2014
“Certified Civil Mediation Training”, St. Paul, MN, June 2014
“Certified Family Mediation Training, St. Paul, MN, March – May, 2014
“Divorce Mediation Tele-Seminar”, Association for Conflict Resolution, April 2014
“Mediation: More than Agreement”, Heartland Mediators Association Annual Conference, April 2014
“Healing the Heart of Conflict,” Minnesota Association of School Business Officials, April 2014
“Healing the Heart of Conflict,” private client, St. Paul, MN, January 2014.
“Certified Civil Mediation Training”, St. Paul, MN, November 2013.
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, International ACR Conference, Minneapolis, MN, October 2013.
“Advanced Mediation Training”, St. Paul, MN, September 2013.
“40-Hour Certified Family Mediation Training”, St. Paul, MN, July 2013.
“Transformative Mediation of Family Cases,” 2nd International Conference on Transformative Mediation, Rome, Italy, June 11, 2013.
“Legal Definitions of Mediation,” 2nd International Conference on Transformative Mediation, Rome, Italy, June 10, 2013
“The Heart of Conflict”, private client, Minneapolis, MN, April 10, 2013.
“Introduction to Transformative Mediation”, William Mitchell College of Law ADR Course, March 12, 2013.
Advanced Mediation Training: The Transformative Approach to Elder and Family Cases, Pasadena, CA, February 28 – March 2, 2013.
Certified Civil Mediation Training, Saint Paul, MN, January 24 – 28, 2013.
“Approaches to Commercial Mediation”, panel discussion at the ADR Institute, Minneapolis, MN, October 26, 2012.
