The Association for Dispute Resolution of Northern California (ADRNC) presented BASF member Ron Kelly with a President’s Award at their annual conference in March.
This award is presented to reco-gnize excellence and outstanding contributions to the field of Dispute Resolution and Community Building.

Creating The Law and Awards
A principal architect of California ADR law, Ron Kelly has initiated and guided enactment of dozens of laws protecting the integrity of mediation and arbitration. These include key sections of the California Evidence, Insurance, Government, and Business and Professions Codes. Kelly has been honored with eight major ADR awards in recognition of his work in pioneering the field, including Peacemaker of the Year in California and the American Arbitration Association’s Distinguished Service Award.

Arbitration, Mediation, Subject Matter Expertise
Kelly is a business arbitrator and mediator, specializing in disputes involving construction, business partnership, and real estate. He has been successfully mediating voluntary settlements since 1970. Since 1986 he has arbitrated cases through local courts, state agencies, and the American Arbitration Association.
Kelly chaired the Design Review Committee for the City of Berkeley, and served eight years reviewing plans and holding hearings on proposed commercial and residential developments for the city. His background includes training in real estate and construction law, structural engineering, and architectural design. Kelly has extensive experience in the purchase, design, construction, and sale of real property and has held four licenses (California General, Electrical, Plumbing, and Solar Contractor’s Licenses).

Trainings
Over the past 25 years, Kelly has provided ADR training to thousands of lawyers, judges, business professionals, and court and government staff on four continents. His trainings cover conflict resolution skills, ethics and law. He regularly trains through the University of California Berkeley’s CLE Program, BASF, and other local bar associations.
His training materials are licensed and used by leading universities, bar associations, court systems, and professional organizations around the world. He is a frequent speaker on current issues in the field.

Professional Leadership
A founder of both the California Dispute Resolution Council and the Northern California Mediation Association, Kelly has served on the boards of several mediation and arbitration professional associations, and remains a very active member of the Bay Area ADR community.