Melora Bentz

About Melora Bentz

She\'s at peace and yet somehow on fire-Samantha KingMelora is a dedicated attorney with a focus on disrupting conflict, promoting accountability, and fostering connections. Driving action through excellent communication skills and relationship management, she mediates conflict and facilitates restorative justice. She is a highly organized self-starter and is effective working with people of diverse perspectives.Upcoming: Feb 17, 2024 Boulder Bar Association CLE (virtual) Most Recent Presentations: CLE for SE Metro Law Club “Lessons for Mediators from the EDI Roundtable,\" 1.0 general credit; 1.0 EDI, Feb 6, 2024 with Wesley Parks, Esq.Facilitation at The Boys and Girls Club \"Cultivating Collaboration at Inside the Orchestra\" workshop + yoga, December 2023;“The Evolution of ADR: Developing Literacy in Equity, Diversity, & Inclusivity for Ethical Mediation Practice,\" CBA ADR Conference, October 2023;\"DEI Foundations\" with Community Coastal Bank (WA), July & Sept. 2023 with Social Justice Associates;“Developing Literacy in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity to Improve Mediation Skills and Practice” for The Mediation Association of Colorado, June 2023 with Wesley Parks, Esq;“The Importance of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusivity (DEI) in Mediation Practice” (co-facil) Court Mediation Services, April 2023, with Wesley Parks, Esq;Co-Facilitator, Restorative Justice Facilitation 20-hr certification (The Conflict Center) October 2023;Co-Facilitator, Restorative Justice Facilitation 20-hr certification (The Conflict Center) August 2023.“Access to Justice Through Effective Mediation Advocacy” (panelist)(Int\'l Women’s Insolvency & Restructuring Confederation) June 2022;“Increasing a New Mediator’s Worth:Creating Value in a Diversifying ADR Community”(panelist) CBA ADR Conference October 2022

Experience

1. Restorative Justice Facilitator and Educator

   The Conflict Center

   Mar 2021 — Present · Denver, CO, US

   All of us have stumbled, in our own ways, along our paths. In conjunction with the Restorative Denver program and The Conflict Center, I facilitate dialogue that offers people who were harmed by crime an opportunity to seek answers and those who caused the harm an opportunity to take accountability to begin to repair the damage caused by conflict and/or crime. We facilitate Community Group Conferences (CGC) which bring together a group of people involved in crime, including people who were harmed, people who caused harm, support people, community members, and facilitators. Restorative Denver offers the right candidates an opportunity to transform a bad situation into a meaningful, life-enhancing growth opportunity. In spring 2024, I will facilitate community group conferences focused on restoring responsible gun use. Circles are an opportunity to hold space for accountability, growth, healing, and better understanding of how individual conduct affects the community at large.

Education

• Case Western Reserve University School of Law

  Doctor of Law (J.D.), Law

  1995 — 1998

• Oberlin College

  B.A., Biopsychology; Law

  1990 — 1994

Skills

• Powerpoint
• Microsoft Excel
• Appeals
• Hearings
• Policy
• Student Engagement
• Microsoft Word
• Legal Writing
• Customer Experience
• Public Speaking
• Yoga
• Mediation
• Legal Issues
• Research
• Editing
• Nonprofits
• Civil Litigation
• Coaching
• Customer Service
• Training
• Teamwork
• Trials
• Criminal Law
• Analysis
• Teaching
• Microsoft Office
• Powerful Communicator
• Wellness Coaching
• Courts
• Writing