The International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (“IACP)”, www.collaborativepractice.com, earlier this year invited Collaborative practitioners from around the world to join IACP in a year long conversation about Collaborative Law and to help envision its future for clients and professionals alike. IACP called its initiative “The Year of Listening”, and Collaborative practitioners have been able to participate in a number of ways including facilitated calls with IACP board members. Karen Levitt as an IACP board member was a co-facilitator on several calls, including with Collaborative practitioners from Brazil and Canada. IACP’s “Year of Listening” has been a great way to share information, challenges, and ideas amongst Collaborative professionals around the world, many of whom will be attending IACP’s annual conference which is being held in Washington, D.C. this October.

The Washington, D.C. conference, which is from October 15 – 18, 2015, is a special one this year. The IACP is celebrating the 25th anniversary of Collaborative Practice, and Karen is honored to be part of the programming for the conference. Karen will be part of two workshops. Karen will be the facilitator of a workshop entitled “A Mosaic: Pro Bono and Low Bono Access to Collaboration around the World”, with presenters from the United States (Maryland and New York), Canada (Vancouver), and Israel. The workshop will provide participants with the ability to learn from different and international perspectives about program design (whether a formal or informal Access to Collaboration program), screening, and the benefits and challenges to be anticipated when creating an Access to Collaboration program. Karen with her Massachusetts colleague Dr. Gina Arons, Psy.D, will be presenting a workshop entitled “When the Clients and the Team Collide: Whose Case is it Anyway?”. Karen and Gina have worked together on many Collaborative Law Cases, and will be sharing their experiences and teaching participants about best practices.