Bill Eddy, LCSW, Esq. is a globally recognized thought leader on high-conflict behavior and the co-founder and Innovation Director of the High Conflict Institute. A pioneer in the development of High Conflict Personality Theory (HCP), he has transformed the fields of law, mental health, and dispute resolution with practical frameworks for managing individuals with high-conflict traits. Bill has over four decades of professional experience as a family law attorney, Licensed Clinical SocialWorker, and senior mediator, including 15 years as Senior Family Mediator at the National Conflict Resolution Center. He has served on the faculty of the renowned Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University School of Law and held an academic appointment at the University of Newcastle Law School in Australia. An internationally sought-after keynote speaker and trainer, Bill has presented in over 30 U.S. states and 10 countries.
He is the author of more than twenty books and writesa widely read blog on Psychology Today with over five million views.Ekaterina Ricci, MDR, MLS, is a dispute resolution expert and legal consultant specializing in cross-border negotiations, international diplomacy, and high-conflict dynamics. She is recognized for her interdisciplinary approach to resolving complex disputes where legal systems, organizational power structures, and cultural identities intersect. Ekaterina has served as a mediator, consultant, and policy advisor in international commercial and institutional disputes, contributing to resolutionefforts in legal and multilateral settings. Her work draws on over a decade of experience integrating behavioral science, legal analysis, and narrative strategy to address high-stakes conflicts in courts, international forums, and corporate environments. She holds dual master's degrees in Dispute Resolution and Legal Studies from Pepperdine Caruso School of Law, and a B.S. in Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics from UCLA.
She completed advanced training in diplomacy and internationallaw through UN programs in Geneva. Ekaterina also teaches and speaks on conflict systems, trauma-informed mediation, and cross-cultural negotiation.