I am Susan Andrews, Founder and Principal of Andrews Dispute Resolution, Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Dispute Resolution Analysis, Negotiation, and Mediation Services for dispute resolution, decision making, and dealmaking in General Civil and Commercial contexts in the United States (Kentucky) and internationally. I provide a personalized professional process involving significant preparation and sophisticated platforms. My neutrality empowers parties through an efficient, effective, and ethical dispute resolution process, so they can achieve a peaceful resolution.
I am a co-author of “Mediation Beyond Covid: Hacks, Craics and Crocodile Tears,” an Amazon #1 Best Seller in multiple categories internationally, bringing our readers behind the front lines of pandemic conflict resolution with reflection, wisdom, and humour, and with proceeds supporting Mediators Beyond Borders International (Oceania) (MBBO) in promoting peaceful conflict management and resolution in the region.
I have always been active, athletically, socially and culturally. Horses have been a special part of my life, and my natural horsemanship training and experience have in part inspired my approach to communication through relationship awareness and engagement, self-awareness and authenticity, creativity and flexibility, and leadership. My Doberman Pinscher, Segen, is a very special part of my life, and always by my side, true to the breed. I am enthusiastic about history, the arts, nature, and preserving the natural beauty of the world around me and beyond. I am passionate about life, count my blessings, broaden my experience and abilities, and do my best.
With business and legal experience in Fortune 500 multinational and other companies in a wide range of industries and sectors and in corporate legal departments and law firms in a wide range of practice areas, I have a broad base of knowledge and practical experience from which to draw in dealing with disputes, whether it be legal or alternative dispute resolution. I received both a Certificate of Appreciation by the Honorable J. Spencer Letts, United States District Judge for the Central District of California, for my work as a Judicial Extern, and a Certificate of Commendation by the City of Los Angeles for my work as a Law Clerk in the Office of the City Attorney, Los Angeles Harbor Division.
I am an Active Member of the Kentucky Bar Association, Chair Elect of its Alternative Dispute Resolution Section, an International Mediation Institute (IMI) Qualified Mediator, Co-Chair of its Online Dispute Resolution Task Force, a Life Fellow of the Kentucky Bar Foundation, the nonprofit, charitable arm of Kentucky’s legal community, a Member of the American Bar Association (ABA), its Dispute Resolution Section, and its Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Task Force Working Group III, Guidance with Respect to Special Issues Relating to Private ODR, that recently published the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution Guidance for Online Dispute Resolution (ODR), and an Associate Member of the International Council for Online Dispute Resolution (ICODR). I received the 2018, 2019, and 2020 and 2021-2022 Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Awards from the Kentucky Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Commission.
I have a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Southwestern Law School, an ABA Paralegal Certificate from University of San Diego School of Law with a focus on Business Law and Environmental Law, and a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, summa cum laude, in Liberal Arts from Mount Saint Mary’s University Los Angeles. I studied International Law both domestically and internationally, including Private and Public International Law, Comparative Law, European Union Law and International Trade Law, at Southwestern Law School, Tulane University Law School’s Tulane Institute of European Legal Studies at Paris-Dauphine University, and University of Georgia/Institut d’Etudes Européennes, Université Libre de Bruxelles’s Dean Rusk International Law Center Annual Brussels Seminar on the European Union. I was also a Student Reporter for The State Bar of California International Law Section Newsletter and a Volunteer Researcher for the ABA Section on International Law and Practice, Multijurisdictional Practice Commission and Transnational Legal Practice Committee.
I exceeded the 40 Hour foundational mediation training requirement with 80 Hour Advanced Mediation Training at IMI Qualified Assessment Program (QAP) and Certified Mediator Training Program (CMTP), Mediation International, in Madrid, Spain, while attending the 2017 World Mediation Summit, and 40 Hour Basic and 24 Hour Intermediary Mediation Training at Kathleen Ruane Leedy and MediateGuru. I received a Certificate of Excellence by securing a top 10% rank in completing full semester The Master Negotiation Course delivered by The Negotiation Academy legal negotiation training as one of the first group of Master Negotiators among lawyers from the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. I also received a Certificate of Completion for the continuous 12-week courses, Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) Practitioner Certification Program, Editions #1 #2 and #3, delivered by Instituto de Certificação e Formação de Mediadores Lusófonos (ICFML) in partnership with Holistic Solutions, Inc. (HSI) via ODR Foundations Training.
I am a Volunteer Mediator of the Fayette County District Court Small Claims Volunteer Mediation Program, a Member of the IMI Young Mediators’ Initiative (YMI), was a Mentee of the IMI-YMI Mentorship Framework, and have completed the assessment and, therefore, training requirement, for IMI Online Dispute Resolution Specialization via IMI QAP ICFML via ODR Foundations Training.
I am a certified NextLevel™ Mediation Dispute Resolution Analyst, a mediator who has been trained in the application of decision analytics to dispute resolution. This certification has enabled me to expand my Services to include Dispute Resolution Analysis, a highly adaptable and dynamic Service that can facilitate successful decision making in a range of processes from deal-making to dispute resolution.
Complete Mediation Training and Professional Development are available via my IMI Profile here.