GERALD W . VANDEWALLE MEDAL
The Gerald W . VandeWalle Medal was created by the Board of Governors in 2017 to recognize individuals for their significant dedication and contributions to the administration of justice or the improvement of the judicial system . The award , which need not be given every year , honors an individual or individuals who bring credit to the State of North Dakota and its judicial system or to the administration of justice in North Dakota or the United States . The recipient needs to not be an attorney but should be a current or former resident of the State of North Dakota . The president of the association shall consult with the Chief Justice or members of the judicial branch to identify worthy recipients of this award , and the award is presented at the annual meeting of the association .
Judge Karen Klein was awarded the 2021 Gerald W . VandeWalle Medal in recognition of her life-long work in the area of alternative dispute resolution and the dramatic impact that work has had on North Dakota ’ s judicial system .
Judge Karen Klein , second from left , was honored with the 2021 Gerald W . VandeWalle Medal .
For 30 years , Judge Klein served as a United States Magistrate Judge for the U . S . District Court of North Dakota , and also served in the role of Chief Magistrate Judge for the District of North Dakota . Judge Klein is best known , however , for her ground-breaking work in the area of alternative dispute resolution . In 1985 , she established
Alternate Dispute Resolution Services in person or by zoom
JACK G . MARCIL ROGER J . MINCH
TIMOTHY G . RICHARD jmarcil @ serklandlaw . com rminch @ serklandlaw . com trichard @ serklandlaw . com
701-232-8957 serklandlaw . com
Fax : 701-237-4049 10 Roberts St . N .
PO Box 6017 Fargo ND 58108-6017
NEUTRAL MEDIATORS
Mediation is an effective and cost efficient method to resolve disputes . We are experienced to provide mediation in the following areas :
• Personal Injury
• Wrongful Death
• Professional Malpractice
• Construction
• Products Liability
• Trusts and Estates
• Discrimination
• Business Disputes
• Contract
• Bankruptcy
• Banking mediation as part of the federal district court ’ s civil case management , and she became one of the first judges or lawyers to mediate civil disputes in North Dakota .
During her career on the federal bench , Judge Klein mediated thousands of legal disputes , which had a dramatic impact on the Court ’ s docket and in
Alternate dispute resolution can also include Arbitration , Early Neutral Evaluation , Mediation / Med . Arbitration . helping parties craft an acceptable resolution to difficult disputes . She also took her wellhoned skills to the classroom and taught hundreds of judges how to mediate disputes in their own judicial districts . For more than 15 years , she served as the lead faculty member for the Federal Judicial Center Mediation Skills Workshop , as well as at orientation programs for newly appointed magistrate judges . Judge Klein also served as a faculty member for international mediation skills programs , including for judges and lawyers in Poland , Jordan , United Arab Emirates , India , and Malaysia .
Judge Klein served the Court , members of the bar , and the public through other professional activities , including serving as the chair of SBAND ’ s Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and chair of the Civil Justice Reform Panel for the District Court of North Dakota , as well as by serving on many committees related to education for magistrate judges and the administration of the court system .
8 THE GAVEL