November 5, 2004

U.S. Department of Energy official Phyllis Hanfling featured speaker at Wayne State University's Hank Marx Annual Lecture Series

Phyllis Hanfling, director of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Dispute Resolution, will be the featured lecturer at the Hank Marx Annual Lecture Series in Dispute Resolution, on Friday, Nov. 12 8:30-11:30 a.m., at Wayne State University's Oakland Center in Farmington Hills.

Hanfling will talk about the scope of the field of Alternative Dispute Resolution (DR) by discussing less commonly known DR techniques such as partnering, dispute review boards and online dispute resolution, among others. She also will address how the federal government is using DR. The issues presented are relevant to universities, hospitals, state governments, attorneys representing such entities and mediators seeking to expand their practice.

Following the lecture, panelists will participate in a discussion and an audience question-and-answer segment. Wayne State University Professor Loraleigh Keashly, who serves as academic director of the Master of Arts in Dispute Resolution Program, in the College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan Affairs (CULMA), will serve as the panel's moderator. Other panelists include: Roseanne Ellison, Environmental Protection Agency; Barbara Johannessen, Medication Specialists; Michael Nussbaum, special counsel for Bonner, Kiernan, Tribach and Crociata and Doug Van Epps, State Court Administrator's Office.

"We are grateful to Hank and his family for enabling us to create a public forum in which issues of alternative methods for dealing with disputes constructively may be shared and discussed," Keashly said.

The Hank Marx Annual Lecture Series was established this year by his three daughters to honor their father's work, dedication and contributions to the field of dispute resolution. For over 30 years, Marx was the owner and CEO of a metal processing and manufacturing company in Detroit. Following retirement, he pursued alternative dispute resolution and became a highly respected mediator throughout southeast Michigan.

Marx has a long association with Wayne State since earning a bachelor's degree in science and is currently working on a master's degree in Interdisciplinary studies. He currently serves on CULMA's and the School of Business Administration's Board of Visitors.

For further information about the lecture and to confirm your attendance, please RSVP by Nov. 5 at ah5165@wayne.edu, (313) 577-2178 or visit http://www.culma.wayne.edu/marx.htm.

The event is free and open to the general public. Breakfast will be available from 8:30-9 a.m. Wayne State's Oakland Center is located at 12 Mile and Orchard Lake roads, in Farmington Hills.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 12 schools and colleges to more than 33,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.