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October 2025 Welcome Welcome to readers of Making the Connection!     In this issue, you will find:  In Focus:  Succession Planning Lessons from Downton Abbey-The Grand Finale Question of the Month, about zones of possible agreement Case on Point,  discussing a challenge to an arbitrator's neutrality At the Podium, listing my speaking engagements and public appearances Client Corner, spotlighting client events and announcements In Focus Succession Planning Lessons from Downton Abbey-The Grand Finale I recently had the pleasure of watching Downton Abbey-The Grand Finale. It could also have been called "Downton Abbey-The Next Generation", as succession planning was a core theme of the movie. In the kitchen, Mrs. Patmore passes the ladle to Daisy, who has her own ideas about recipe ingredients. Although Mrs. Patmore has grown to love and mentor Daisy, and has now married Daisy's father, she still is reluctant to let go, and has to be reminded to leave these decisions to her successor. Similar interactions about the proper china to use are observed between the butler Mr. Carson and Andrew Parker, his chosen successor, who is also Daisy's husband. But it is Robert Crawley's struggles as Lord Grantham with succession planning that receive the most attention. The Crawleys and Downton Abbey are facing financial and operational challenges. There have already been numerous staff cuts, and Robert's daughter, Mary, and son-in-law, Tom Branson propose the sale of Grantham House, the family's London residence. Robert resists, but is ultimately persuaded that a smaller, rented apartment will suffice. He also struggles with retiring from management of the estate.  His young grandson, George, is his legal heir.  Ultimately, he realizes that his daughter Mary, George's mother, is best equipped to manage Downton Abbey (despite her questionable judgment in lovers), and that he needs to let her run the show without unwanted interference.  He and his wife Cora decide to retire to nearby Dower House, the former residence of his mother, Lady Violet (played by the inimitable Maggie Smith). In each of these instances, the succession planning was successful because the current leaders: Chose their successors wisely, in the best interests of the enterprise; Provided training and mentorship to help their designated successors succeed; Relinquished control over decision-making; and Offered to be sounding boards if needed. Question of the Month Q: What is a zone of possible agreement? A: A zone of possible agreement is the range of outcomes that would be acceptable to both or all of the parties to a negotiation. Each party is aware of its own target point and bottom line, which defines its own settlement range and attempts to estimate or learn about the other party's settlement range.  The zone of possible agreement is where those two ranges overlap. In negotiations and mediations, each party attempts to negotiate a settlement as close as possible to the other party's bottom line (and to its target point). Mediators can help the parties explore whether a zone of possible agreement exists, and also to reconsider their target points and bottom lines if there is no overlap in the parties' initial settlement ranges. Case On Point Matter of Cuomo v JAMS, Inc. (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dept. 2025) After more than a year of participating in an arbitration relating to his employment relationship with CNN in which 39 orders had been issued by the arbitrator, Andrew Cuomo brought a court proceeding seeking to stay the arbitration and to obtain discovery concerning the arbitrator's truthfulness regarding disclosure of his and his firm's prior representation of CNN.  The trial court dismissed the proceeding, and Cuomo appealed. In affirming the trial court's decision, the Appellate Division noted: The arbitrator's initial disclosure stated that his law firm may have represented CNN in past matters, but he had no personal recollection of them;  The arbitrator had handled a short-lived matter that generated $3000 fees more than 20 years ago, but the arbitrator had sworn he had no personal recollection of the matter; and Cuomo did not allege any facts showing that the arbitrator was biased or guilty of misconduct in his handling of the arbitration. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ At the Podium This is a listing of speaking engagements, workshops, events and other public appearances.  To book me as a speaker or facilitator at your next company, client or association function, contact me at lisa@lisapom.com.             On November 6, 2025, from 11:00 am to noon, I will speak on Opportunities and Challenges in Resolving Wrongful Termination Claims at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Association for Conflict Resolution at Temple University. Click here for information and registration.  ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Client Corner Client Corner features client announcements and events of potential interest to readers.   On October 17, 2025, Moxxie Network will host a Midday with Moxxie networking luncheon at Hotel Indigo in Riverhead. Click here for information and registration. © 2025, Lisa Renee Pomerantz. All rights reserved.

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