Resolution Systems Institute

10/22/2026

We're grateful to Illinois Equal Justice Foundation for funding RSI's upcoming statewide landscape study to identify legal needs & mediation service gaps and to create a strategy to increase access to mediation in rural communities!

How can more people get a fair shot when they need legal help? Here’s a look at our work this month:

✅ Our latest Civil Legal Aid Grant awards, and the organizations receiving them

✅ How the IEJF supports domestic violence legal services across the state

✅ A welcome to our new intern, Sarah Thompson!

Read our October newsletter here: https://iejf.org/news/newsletters/

10/20/2026

Parties can tell when a mediator has worked with the opposing attorney before, and it can make them worry about being treated fairly. What can you do as a mediator to put them at ease?

Take a minute for mediation with RSI Director of Research Jennifer Shack.

She recently spoke to a group of mediators in Washington, DC, about our Power Imbalance Toolkit for Mediation and recorded these quick tips.

Find the complete toolkit on RSI's website.

And be sure to visit RSI's YouTube page for more quick tips from Jen on managing power imbalance in mediation!

10/15/2026

Happy Conflict Resolution Day!

RSI CEO Heather Fogg shared the following thoughts on conflict in a blog soon after she joined RSI: "(W)atching the animals who live with me squabble, full-on fight, and then get over it and snuggle ... reminds me that maybe we can follow their example and find our way through conflict without permanently shutting one another out as well."

10/13/2026

Are you in the Chicago area and wanting to learn more about conflict resolution? Join the Association for Conflict Resolution Illinois Chapter this Thursday evening for their celebration of International Conflict Resolution Day! It's a free, fun way to connect and learn more about dispute resolution. No cost, not a fundraiser. RSI will be there, and we hope to see you! Be sure to register.

Just like a tree, conflict resolution starts off small and continues to grow and blossom each year.

Celebrate Conflict Resolution Day with us on October 15, 2026!

For more information: https://acrnet.org/page/ConflictResDay

10/08/2026

Today is DAF Day! It's a great day to join with other donor-advised fund owners in giving to the causes you care about.

When you make a DAF gift to Resolution Systems Institute today, you’re making dispute resolution more accessible and effective, giving more people the opportunity to resolve disputes constructively, outside the courtroom.

Visit our donation page and scroll down below the form to the blue-green "Give now from your Donor-Advised Fund" link.

Thank you for all you do to support RSI.

10/07/2026

Congratulations to Judge Elizabeth Flood on being elected Chief Judge of Illinois' 16th Judicial Circuit! Judge Flood supported RSI's administration of the Kane County Eviction Mediation Program while presiding over Kane County Eviction Court throughout 2024-2025. During Judge Flood’s time overseeing the court, the program mediated over 1,100 cases, reached almost 800 agreements, and avoided eviction in 792 cases.

10/06/2026

10/05/2026

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs) are a great tool for charitable giving. They offer flexibility, immediate tax benefits, and time to be thoughtful about where your dollars go. But that delay can come at a cost: According to GiveClear USA, over $230 billion is currently sitting in DAFs across the U.S., waiting to be granted.

Thursday, October 8, is DAF Day, and if you've got funds in a DAF, it's a great time to put them to use!

Help RSI support conflict resolution that is fair and accessible to everyone. Give from your DAF at https://www.aboutrsi.org/donate

10/01/2026

What benefits and challenges show up in in-person vs. online restorative justice practices? RSI's Heather Fogg and Sandra Wiegand summarize recent research and share thoughts on what remains to be studied.

That and more in the September edition of RSI's Court ADR Connection newsletter! https://bit.ly/4hpUdlh

09/28/2026

Got a minute for mediation? RSI Director of Research Jennifer Shack recently spoke to a group of mediators in Washington, DC, about our Power Imbalance Toolkit for Mediation. In this short clip, Jen talks about how one attorney's actions shed light on a problem that self-represented litigants often experience but seldom bring up.

One attorney's actions shed light on a problem that self-represente...