Resolution Systems Institute 2015 Annual Report

Design. Manage. Evaluate. Champion.

FROM RSI’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Friend of RSI, Thank you for your interest in and support of Resolution Systems Institute (RSI). For 20 years, we have championed a unique mission of strengthening access to justice through smart dispute system design in our courts. In that time, we have provided guidance to courts across the country, curated and added to our library of great resources available for stakeholders in these programs, and conducted monitoring and evaluation of our own programs and of others. Thanks to our many friends and supporters, 2015 was a year of tremendous growth. I am excited to share with you our successes, as well as the vision RSI has for a more just future.

Sincerely,

Susan M. Yates Executive Director

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

WHAT RSI DOES

RSI designs dispute systems for courts to provide access to justice outside the confines of the traditional courtroom.

RSI manages mediation programs in partnership with local courts.

RSI evaluates programs to assess the true impact of ADR and find ways to improve outcomes.

RSI champions smart systems, new research and the latest developments in the conflict resolution field.

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

In December, the Illinois Equal Justice Foundation awarded RSI a grant to develop a Child Protection Mediation Program in Kane County, Illinois. RSI intends to use this funding to provide better outcomes for some of the hundreds of children who become victims of abuse and neglect each year in the county. The program will provide biological and foster families, child welfare agencies and attorneys a better forum to forge pathways to permanent, stable homes.

RSI DESIGNS …A NEW CHILD PROTECTION MEDIATION PROGRAM

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI MANAGES …FORECLOSURE MEDIATION PROGRAMS

669 homeowners served 133 homes saved 99% of parties said the mediation process was fair 541 homeowners served 79 homes saved 96% of parties said the mediation process was fair 417 homeowners served 94 homes saved 96% of parties said the mediation process was fair

KANE COUNTY

LAKE COUNTY

WINNEBAG0 & BOONE COUNTIES

With funding from the Illinois Attorney General and in partnership with

Illinois courts, RSI administers foreclosure

mediation programs that give homeowners a fair venue to try to keep

their homes. These programs continue to

have tremendous impact . . .

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI MANAGES …PROGRAMS THAT PARTICIPANTS PRAISE

“Explained [the] process better, made me feel less anxious about [the] process.” – Homeowner on pre-mediation information session

“It was helpful to have a representative from all parties and a common goal.”

– Homeowner’s attorney

“[The mediator] was very fair and neutral during mediation.”– Attorney for lender

“Learned about answers to questions that I didn't know to ask.” – Homeowner on housing counseling

“I get to keep my home.” – Multiple homeowners

Participants in our foreclosure mediation programs are given the opportunity to voice their opinions using questionnaires throughout the process. Here is what a few of them had to say…

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI EVALUATES …FORECLOSURE MEDIATION PROGRAMS IN ILLINOIS

In June, RSI published the most comprehensive program evaluation we have ever conducted. We analyzed RSI’s three foreclosure mediation programs and three programs operated by our downstate partners. Here are some of our conclusions…

• Programs that had lower barriers to entry were able to save a higher percentage of homes

• A two-step process in which homeowners attended housing counseling before mediating provided added value to both homeowner and lender

• When judges ordered cases to mediation, homeowners often were able to save their homes

Click here to read!

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI CHAMPIONS …AN UPDATED FORECLOSURE ADR RESOURCE COLLECTION

RSI combined our expertise in designing, managing and evaluating dispute systems with our experience running foreclosure mediation programs to develop an information hub that courts and others across the country can use to build and improve their foreclosure ADR programs.

Features

• A primer that explains to the public and other stakeholders how foreclosure mediation works

• RSI’s evaluations and quarterly statistical reports as examples of how to collect and share data

• Sample program materials courts can adopt for their own programs

• A chart that allows readers to quickly compare the various foreclosure mediation programs in Illinois

• Additional articles and resources that share the findings of our and others’ research

Click here to read!

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

Director of Research Jennifer Shack’s article “Effective use of mediation: overcoming assumptions to make good decisions” was published in the December 2015 issue of Financier Worldwide magazine.

Ten of our posts from the Just Court ADR blog were featured on Mediate.com, and the blog even caught the attention of noted Access to Justice advocate Richard Zorza, opening an important new dialogue.

Our Court ADR Connection newsletter, updating people on the latest RSI developments, national trends in court ADR and the newest research, reached over 875 subscribers each month.

RSI CHAMPIONS …RESEARCHED AND PRINCIPLED COURT ADR

RSI’s staff members are thought leaders in alternative dispute resolution, especially the use of ADR in courts.

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI LOOKS AHEAD TO 2016

Here’s what to expect from RSI in 2016

• A big update about our Attorney General-funded Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Programs

• A series of articles in Corporate Disputes magazine about using data to inform your mediation preparation

• New publications sharing the lessons we’ve learned so far from running our mediation programs

• Model party survey forms, jointly created with the American Bar Association Section on Dispute Resolution, for use by ADR program administrators

• More resources and new collections on our CourtADR.org Resource Center

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI 2015 FINANCIAL REPORT

Program Grants 54%

Individuals and Law Firms

5%

General Operating Grants

41%

Program Revenue <1% INCOME

$628,503

Mediation Programs

54%

Resource Center 15%

Research 6%

Outreach & Education

3%

General Operating

19%

Fundraising 3%

EXPENSES $542,299

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI LEADERSHIP

RSI STAFF

Susan M. Yates, Executive Director Bridget Crawford

Mariah Heinz Hanna Kaufman

Olga Kordonskaya Kevin Malone

Kristen Sanchez Jennifer E. Shack

Eric Slepak

RSI BOARD OF DIRECTORS RSI is fortunate to be governed by a talented group of leaders from law firms, corporations and alternative dispute resolution providers.

Terry Moritz, President Brian Roche, Vice President Raven Moore, Treasurer Mitchell Marinello, Secretary Prof. James Alfini Marc Becker Hon. Morton Denlow (ret.) Hon. Allen S. Goldberg (ret.) Hon. Stephen Pacey (ret.) Hon. James Sullivan (ret.)

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

RSI THANKS OUR DONORS! Government Office of the Illinois Attorney General Foundations MR Bauer Foundation Illinois Equal Justice Foundation $1,000 and Above ADR Systems James J. Alfini JAMS Hon. Morton Denlow (ret.) Terry Moritz $500 - $999 Robert Baizer Marc Becker Richard Chernick Matthew Heffner Mitchell Marinello

Raven Moore Brian Roche Hon. Karen Shields (ret.) Rhonda & Skip Stern Hon. James Sullivan (ret.) $200 - $499 Steven Cohen Lynn Cohn Jonathan Fleisher Freeborn & Peters LLP Richard A. Ginsburg Brian J. Gold Stephen B. Goldberg Levin Riback Law Group PC Douglas Van Epps Susan M. Yates Julia Zhu Up to $199 Kimberly Ackmann Janice Alwin

Law Offices of Amari & Locallo Hon. Robert Anderson Anonymous James Balog Harvey Barnett Claudia Bernard & Howard Herman Lew Bricker Hon. Geraldine Soat Brown Chapman Spingola LLP Michael and Doreen Cohen Conflict Management Associates Philip Cottone Alexander Domanskis Donna Dudley Jerald Esrick Alfred Gini Bradley Ginn Jay Gitles

Hon. Allen Goldberg (ret.) Alan Kanter Jerald Kessler John Lande Kent Lawrence Michael J. Leech Richard Lenkov William Levit Cassandra Lively Harry Mazadoorian Hon. Bruce Meyerson (ret.) William Nissen Joe Norvell Jerry Pinney Suzanne Schmitz Joel Shapiro Elizabeth Simon Donna Stienstra Thomas Valenti Peter Wachowski Nancy Welsh Karl Winkler

RESOLUTION SYSTEMS INSTITUTE – 2015 ANNUAL REPORT

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(312) 922-6475 info@aboutRSI.org 11 East Adams Street, Suite 500

Chicago, Illinois