The Conflict Science Institute is hosting a Zoom CLE teaching the Integrative Client-Centered Model (ICCM) on Tuesday, December 9 2025. The session is 4 hours and 20 minutes with two breaks included. The ICCM is a comprehensive counseling and conflict management model for legal professionals offering an updated client-centered approach incorporating neurobiology, psychology, and relationship science.
The program will follow the general structure of the ICCM, understanding the human element, relationship building, case and narrative building, supporting plan execution, and regrouping and reflecting. Since many clients come to the office in some state of fear, we’ll start with research on what clients want, rejection theory, and trauma-informed care. T
(The ICCM is also built on DMM attachment theory and science for understanding human response to danger and attachment’s impact on information processing. The attachment foundation component will not be discussed in this CLE, but will be addressed in a CLE following two days later.)
hen we’ll look at Integrative Listening, an ICCM model incorporating multiple listening theories and designed to provide guidance during unexpected and intense conversations, and to support compassionate investigative questioning. For a state of the art view of emotion science we’ll look at a model called affective neuroscience, developed by Jaak Panksepp. We’ll cover a collection of specific tools for grounding, counseling, case and narrative building and supporting optimal client decision making. We’ll also look at some innovative business practices which can support the lawyer-client relationship.
Key topics include
- Insight into personality functioning in the context of stress, threat, and danger
- Integrative Listening, 10 essential elements of listening
- Emotions and a “Panksepp Feelings Wheel”
- The CSI attachment informed 6-Step Change Process
- Specific counseling and communication techniques including compassionate Socratic questions.
Key learning points
- Research shows the four things clients want most is to know you care about them, for you to hear them and their needs, to understand the advice you are giving, and to have a voice in the process, CSI will provide tools to achieve these goals, and improve case outcomes
- What Binder’s book, Lawyers as Counselors, misses
- Help the client get an optimal outcome and believe it
- Enhance investigation, examination, and cross-examination skills
- Enhance client participation
- Increase retain rate
- Increase collection rate
- Reduce complaints
- Enhance own-wellness (manage secondary trauma)
Written materials will be provided during and/or before each session.
Session details
Date: Tuesday, December 9
Time: 8:00 a.m.-12:20 p.m. Seattle time. (Two 10-minute breaks.)
Location: By Zoom only, not in-person, live (not recorded).
Complexity level: Basic to medium (Advanced course available on following Friday)
CLE credit: 4 total credits, 3.75 general and .25 ethics. Non-Washington participants must apply for credit on their own, and a certificate of completion can be provided.
Cost: $50, free for all current members of the WSBA Low Bono Section.
Sessions are for: Lawyers, LLLT’s, paralegals, legal assistants, law students, arbitrators, mediators, GAL’s, parenting coordinators, parenting professionals, and any other person providing services in the legal industry.
Certificate: Integrative Client Counseling Model, Level I
Conflict Science listserv: Application to the listserv is free after attending (listserv will activate in 2026).
Trainer: Mark Baumann will host each session. He has 37 years of experience as a litigator, mediator, and judge pro tem, 3 years as the first associate of Bill Eddy’s High Conflict Institute, a 2013 LLM equivalent in Interpersonal Neurobiology (“client relationship science”), and 13 years studying and using DMM attachment theory. Mark began developing the ICCM in 2012. Full resume here.
Registration: Contact Mark to register, and for payment link. Email proof if you are a current Low Bono Section member (screenshot). Use Contact Us button for initial email. For questions call Mark at 206-851-9337.
Useful pre-session materials to review: We will work with the Trauma-informed care article on Wikipedia, especially the sections describing the many types of trauma, TIC frameworks, and the general techniques including family law attorney Sarah Katz’ adaptation. If you do DV work, there is a section specifically for that.
Session time frames
8:00-9:30
9:30-9:40 break
9:40-10:50
10:50-11:00 break
11:00-12:20
Please note, this CLE will not focus on attachment science. That will be addressed in a stand alone session.