HARRISBURG (April 23, 2013) - The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee will present its Sir Francis Bacon Alternative Dispute Resolution Award to retired Judge Richard B. Klein of the Dispute Resolution Institute in Philadelphia. The award will be presented on May 8 during the association's Annual Meeting at the Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown, Pittsburgh.
The Sir Francis Bacon Award recognizes an individual who has made a significant impact in bringing mediation and other forms of dispute resolution to Pennsylvania. Sir Francis Bacon (1561-1626) was a Renaissance writer who served British monarchs in a legal capacity as knight, attorney general and solicitor. He authored the essay, "Of Negotiating," which featured the frequently-quoted line, "It is generally better to deal by speech than by letter, and by the mediation of a third than by a man's self."
Klein joined the Dispute Resolution Institute in 2010 after 36 years on the bench, serving eight years on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and 28 years as a trial judge for the Common Pleas Court of Philadelphia.
With more than 25 years of alternative dispute resolution experience, Klein holds certifications in mediation from the National Judicial College and the American Bar Association Mediation Training for Judges and holds arbitrator certification from the American Arbitration Association.
Klein is an active member of the PBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and the Philadelphia Bar Association Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee and was the founding co-chair of the PBA Plain English Committee. He has served as vice chair of the Pennsylvania Futures Commission on Justice in the 21st Century, which was established by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and co-chaired the commission's Alternative Paths to Justice Task Force.
Klein wrote and produced the first educational program for Pennsylvania lawyers regarding how to represent a client in mediation and has frequently updated the program and made presentations about the topic. Klein is one of the three authors of the widely-used "Guide to ADR Choices," which explains mediation and includes a glossary of terms and a checklist to determine when a case should be sent to mediation.
He lectures frequently on alternative dispute resolution, effective writing, and trial and appellate advocacy.
Both in his writing and his presentations, Klein has been an early advocate for mediation in the probate field.
Klein is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Amherst College and an honors graduate of Harvard Law School.
Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 28,000 lawyers who are members of the association.