Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Commons^™

Choosing To Use Good Language In The "Adr" Field, John Lande

Faculty Publications

On October 30, 2024, Debra Berman posted a message on a listserv encouraging colleagues to drop the word “alternative” from “ADR.” Her post quickly prompted 24 responses. This article summarizes the listserv discussion about the term “ADR,” and demonstrates serious misconceptions embodied in popular concepts of “BATNA” and “facilitative” and “evaluative” mediation as well as other problematic language that we frequently use.

Language is a shared resource that can enable people to understand each other accurately and to improve our ideas and techniques. This article describes the many ways that language has huge effects on people’s thoughts and actions, and …

How Attorneys Can Be Quasi-Mediators, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This distills insights from a forthcoming article, How Can You Turn Adversarial Attorneys into Quasi-Mediators? The article is a Theory Meets Practice column in CPR’s Alternatives magazine that summarizes a discussion with members of the Association of Attorney-Mediators.

Attorneys acting as quasi-mediators prefer to be cooperative and use mediation techniques but they aren’t neutral. They tailor their actions based on their clients’ preferences and the other side’s approach. Another term for quasi-mediators is “good lawyers.”

Based on the forthcoming article and the Real Practice Systems Project Menu of Mediation Checklists, this two-page article lists things that mediators can do to …

Creating Educational Value By Teaching Law Students To Be Quasi-Mediators, John Lande

Faculty Publications

Most mediation courses currently focus primarily on mediators’ perspectives and interventions during mediation sessions. Under the traditional view, mediators are the intervenors, and the parties, attorneys, and other participants in mediation sessions are the intervenees.

This article argues that mediation courses should provide balanced instruction of the roles of both mediators and attorneys by teaching students how to function as “quasi-mediators” when representing clients in mediation. As quasi-mediators, attorneys look for opportunities to reach reasonable agreements whenever appropriate, and they use mediation techniques to move the process in that direction. But they do not surrender their loyalty to their clients …

Law Schools Should Substantially Increase Instruction In Mediation Representation, John Lande

Faculty Publications

American law schools generally focus 10% or less of their mediation curriculum on mediation representation. As shown in a survey of faculty teaching mediation and an analysis of course syllabi in this article, most of the instruction focuses on the role of a mediator.

This is a problem for several reasons. New graduates represent clients in mediation much more frequently than they mediate. Clients usually need professional advice to evaluate their cases and develop strategies, which mediators cannot provide. This is precisely the important service that attorneys can provide, but we teach students very little about what to do when …

Theory And Practice Of Mediation Representation, John Lande

Faculty Publications

These days, American attorneys regularly represent clients in mediation. This representation is a complex process, and attorneys and law students need guidance about how to serve clients well in this context. This article offers a theoretical framework for analyzing mediation representation based on Real Practice System Theory. It reviews books that outline elements of mediation representation and identify practical techniques that attorneys can use when representing clients in mediation. It supplies several suggestions for faculty who teach mediation, including teaching courses combining the perspectives of both mediators and mediation representatives.

Real Practice Systems Project Menu Of Checklists For Attorneys In Mediation, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This is a detailed menu of checklists for attorneys representing clients in mediation, including actions before, during, and after mediation sessions. The checklists include items about information to provide on websites, compliance with ethical requirements, and reflection and improvement of techniques. They are intended to prompt attorneys to become more conscious and intentional in their work, helping them to develop routines and strategies for dealing with recurring problems.

The checklists are extensive but not exhaustive. They are not recipes to follow strictly, thoughtlessly, or completely. Instead, they should help attorneys decide what to do in any specific case or in …

Adr In The Ongoing Experiment Of American Law, Carli N. Conklin

Faculty Publications

To engage in the development of American law— past or present—is to engage in a great and ongoing experiment. It is an exercise of the imagination. And one place where American law has been most imaginative is in the field of alternative dispute resolution. It is an area of law that, in its creativity and emphasis on the person as a whole, is particularly well-suited to respond to the guiding question of our constitutional democracy: how might we live well together?

The Important Role Of Attorneys In Promoting Parties' Self-Determination In Mediation, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This short article analyzes the meaning of self-determination, and it demonstrates that attorneys generally have much greater ability than mediators to promote parties’ self-determination. I argue that “self-determination” is an admirable but unattainable ideal.

Instead, attorneys and mediators should focus on promoting parties’ best possible decision-making under the circumstances. To optimally promote the quality of parties’ decision-making during mediation sessions, they must be well-prepared before mediation sessions. At that stage, attorneys are in the best position to counsel clients, when they have more time to carefully consider their situation and they are not under pressure to respond to the …

The Case For Mediation Representation Clinics And Externships, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This article recommends that law schools offer mediation representation clinics and externship courses to assist self-represented litigants in cases with legally-represented parties. These courses would prepare law students to practice in the modern world. Students would get experience working with real clients, conduct interviews, help clients assess their goals and interests, analyze claims, perform legal research, prepare documents, coordinate with mediators, and negotiate with counterpart attorneys.

The courses would address the needs of multiple stakeholders including self-represented litigants, law students, law schools, courts, attorneys, mediators, and society in general. Law schools would develop these courses in collaboration with many potential …

The Case For Strategic Case Evaluation And Management Courses, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This short article argues that law schools should substantially increase instruction in pretrial litigation, teaching students how to strategically evaluate and manage cases. Law school graduates generally are unprepared to work with clients, have difficulty communicating with clients, and don’t understand the “big picture” of client matters. They generally aren’t well trained in negotiation, which is essential in modern legal practice. The problem for law students and law schools is exacerbated by the transition to the NextGen bar exam and a movement in various states to use alternative mechanisms for licensing that would require demonstration of practical skills.

To address …

It's Time To Make Important Upgrades To Our Mediation Curriculum, John Lande

Faculty Publications

In the past five decades, mediation practice and teaching have grown in size and sophistication. Inevitably, some ideas that made sense early in this development need revision and updating to reflect evolving realities and improved understandings. This is a moment deserving reflection about what faculty should teach about mediation, especially in light of the NextGen bar exam and changes in various states’ licensing regimes.

This article suggests various upgrades of our mediation instruction. Change is hard but can be worth the effort. The article includes numerous specific suggestions and links to handy resources that faculty can incorporate in their courses …

Oxymorons R Us, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This short article riffs on comments at a program at the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution’s annual conference to illustrate how oxymoronic the terms “facilitative,” “evaluative,” and “empowerment” have become. It suggests ways that dispute resolution academics and practitioners can avoid speaking oxymoron.

Modern Mediation Practice In American Legal Cases, John Lande

Faculty Publications

This article provides excerpts of It's Time to Make Important Upgrades to Our Mediation Curriculum. It notes significant changes in mediation practice in the past five decades and highlights the nature of modern mediation practice in American legal cases. It suggests that law school faculty upgrade of our mediation instruction to reflect the realities of modern practice.

Ombuds Programs: How Alternative Dispute Resolution Improves The Lives Of Native Long-Term Care Residents, Brett Newberry

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Many Americans will spend at least some time in a long-term care facility. During their stay, every resident should receive competent care and maintain the highest possible quality of life. Long-term care ombuds programs exist to help achieve these goals. Long-term care ombuds (“LTCOs”) advocate for individuals living in long-term care facilities and for improvements to the long-term care system. Tribal long-term care ombuds are a subset of LTCOs who connect with and advocate for Native residents living in long-term care facilities. LTCOs help facilitate dispute resolution between residents, facilities, and family members, and work to improve resident care. The …

The Copyright Infringement Threat To X: How X (Formerly Twitter) Could Benefit From Licensing Agreements With Arbitration Clauses, Mary Claire Rose

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Copyright infringement on social media platforms is an ever increasing threat to society today. As social media platforms have grown, music publishers and movie studios have become more outspoken in criticizing the inadequacies in handing copyright infringement on these platforms. On June 14, 2023 a civil complaint was brought by Concord Music Group Inc. along with many other music publishers against X Corp. (“X”), formerly Twitter, for copyright infringement. The complaint alleges that X has infringed the copyright of more than 1,700 songs and the plaintiffs are seeking more than $250 million in damages. However, one can argue this was …

Exempting The Fmla From Forced Arbitration: The Need For Special Consideration Of Pregnant And Working Mothers To Achieve Gender Equality In The Workplace, Taylor Trefger

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Pregnant and working mothers face a multitude of challenges when making decisions that pertain to their health, children, and their livelihoods. Historically, women have encountered numerous barriers regarding their entrance and treatment in the United States labor force as a result of gender discrimination that promotes the idea that women, in their inherent ability to become mothers, renders them inadequate or inferior workers in comparison to men. Unfortunately, such archaic notions of gender roles persist still; today, the reality is that women are more likely to be employed part-time, occupy lower-paid roles, and are less likely to take on managerial …

Mandatory Mediation In England And Wales: A Paradigm Shift In Dispute Resolution, Mckayla Bogda

Journal of Dispute Resolution

In May of 2023, Tribunals in England and Wales had a backlog of nearly 144,000 cases. In a press release issued on July 25, 2023, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) unveiled a significant policy change to combat this backlog. Under its new directive, individuals or entities wishing to pursue debt recovery claims of £10,000 or less are required to engage in mediation proceedings prior to their case’s adjudication in the small claims courts of England and Wales. This transformative shift signifies a departure from the traditional adversarial litigation model of both of these countries’ judicial systems.

Faculty List

Journal of Dispute Resolution

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Journal of Dispute Resolution

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Journal of Dispute Resolution

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Alternative Dispute Resolution In Agency Administrative Programs, Kristen Blankley, Kathleen Claussen, Judith Starr

Journal of Dispute Resolution

This Article studies how federal agencies use and might better use different types of alternative dispute resolution (ADR)—including mediation, conciliation, facilitation, factfinding, minitrials, arbitration, and the use of ombuds—in the programs Congress has entrusted them to administer. The use of ADR by the executive branch of the federal government to resolve disputes with or among private actors has deep historical roots. ADR related to managerial agency matters such as employment or procurement is well-established across the government and performed under a uniform set of laws. Much less has been known, however, about the scope and reach of ADR in the …

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Journal of Dispute Resolution

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How Can Courts–Practically For Free–Help Parties Prepare For Mediation Sessions?, John Lande

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Consider two hypothetical scenarios of mediations of a personal injury lawsuit. In one scenario, Kenji, the plaintiff, arrived at the mediation session feeling anxious because his attorney hadn’t told him much about the process and he didn’t know what to expect. He didn’t understand the factual and legal issues, how the mediation would unfold, or how he might participate in the process. He felt demoralized because he didn’t know enough to feel confident and assertive about making decisions in his case. In the mediation session, he spent a lot of time alternately hearing the mediator explain why he couldn’t get …

Arbitration And The Mandatory Law Problem: A Mixed Mode Adr Approach, Hossein Fazilatfar

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Rigorous scholarly debate has shaped the discussion on the application of mandatory laws and public policy in arbitration, which has led to an array of legal solutions to the mandatory law problem. The determination of the applicable law in arbitration is a dilemma due to arbitrators’ contractual source of authority and commitments to the parties, their mandate to issue an enforceable award, and the imperative nature of mandatory laws at stake. Proposed solutions thus far have primarily been suggestions that are based on either contractual concerns of the parties, jurisdictional (mandatory law) concerns of states involved, or a mix of …

We’Re Getting Sued??? *Emotional* *With Proof*: Using Alternative Dispute Resolution In Child Influencer Disputes, Werthen Gass

Journal of Dispute Resolution

Thanks to a new Illinois law, alternative dispute resolution could play an important role in fighting mommy-vlogger clickbait in the coming years. It could allow us all to escape outrageous videos of exploitative parents crying on kitchen floors with titles such as “We’re getting SUED by our OWN CHILD?? *emotional* *with proof*”. On August 11, 2023, the governor of Illinois signed Illinois Public Act 103-0556 (“the Act”) into law, amending the current child labor laws in Illinois and adding a provision specifically pertaining to payment of child influencers. Essentially, the new law, which will go into effect on July 1, …

Filling The Enforcement Gap: Alternative Dispute Resolution As An Approach To Solving "Copyright" Disputes For Ai-Generated Content, Aly Rezek

Journal of Dispute Resolution

On August 12, 2019, the United States Copyright Office (“the Copyright Office”) sent Stephen Thaler a rejection letter stating it would not issue him federal copyright protection for artwork generated by a computer program he owned. After countless appeals to the Copyright Office and the Federal District Court under various legal theories, one thing was made clear: The U.S. Copyright system would not protect works created by non-human authors. This principle presents a problem. Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is a rapidly developing tool in business and a rapidly developing issue in the law. Courts have routinely held that to be copyrightable, …

A Snapshot Of How Mediators Use Technology These Days, John Lande

Faculty Publications

All professional mediators inevitably use technology these days. Indeed, they use it more than they realize. And, with the accelerating rate of technological developments, they generally will use it a lot more in the future. But it's not easy to incorporate technological developments into daily practice and keep up with the rapid pace of change. Part of the challenge is that mediators have their own unique complex practice systems that they aren't fully conscious of. And technology is integrated throughout their systems.

Real Practice Systems Annotated Bibliography, John Lande

Faculty Publications

Real Practice Systems (RPS) theory holds that practitioners’ practice systems are based on their personal histories, values, goals, motivations, knowledge, and skills as well as the parties and the cases in their work. RPS analysis can be used in many dispute resolution roles such as mediator, advocate in mediation, negotiator, and litigator generally. In mediation, practitioners develop categories of cases, parties, and behavior patterns that lead them to design routine procedures and strategies for dealing with recurring challenges before, during, and after mediation sessions.

RPS theory is the culmination of much of the work in my scholarly career. The bibliography …

Table Of Contents

Journal of Dispute Resolution

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Sunny Days Ahead: Using Adr To Fuel The Future Of Green Energy, Matthew Graham

Journal of Dispute Resolution

The energy landscape in the United States (“U.S.”) has undergone significant changes in the last few centuries. Energy consumption has increased dramatically as more energy sources have been developed. As one of the world’s leading energy consumers, the U.S. has a large incentive to develop energy solutions that are both sustainable, dependable, and independent of foreign powers. For these reasons, Congress has spent the last few decades passing numerous pieces of legislation encouraging investment in energy solutions that will benefit the U.S. for centuries. With the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act (“IRA”) of 2022, the U.S. has made its …