Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Commons^™

Defining Arbitration, Jill I. Gross

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

The Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) does not define the term “arbitration,” the very process the one-hundred-year-old statute was enacted to promote. The absence of a definition has led to courts’ inconsistent and unpredictable application of the FAA’s regulatory benefits to agreements to resolve disputes in processes other than traditional, binding arbitration, such as appraisal, evaluation, and mediation. Additionally, with no clear definition as guidance, companies have inserted arbitration clauses into adhesive consumer and employment agreements that require “arbitration” of disputes but designate a process lacking hallmarks of due process. The Supreme Court even justified enforcing class action waivers in arbitration …

Promise And Pitfalls Of Ai In Mass Arbitration, Amy J. Schmitz

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

Mass arbitration has emerged as a strategic response to arbitration clauses that preclude class actions, allowing large numbers of claimants to bring individual arbitration demands against companies for similar grievances. Unlike class actions where a lead claimant represents others, mass arbitration requires each claimant’s active participation in separate proceedings, creating significant administrative burdens and costs. Following a 2011 Supreme Court ruling that solidified mandatory individual arbitration clauses, consumers and employees increasingly turned to mass arbitration filings. While the American Arbitration Association’s rule updates aimed to improve efficiency through measures like one-time initiation fees and process arbitrators, challenges remain in managing …

A Comparative Study Of The U.S. And Foreign Tipping Culture And How Collective Bargaining Can Eliminate Mandatory Tipping In The U.S., Matthew Zelman

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

Tipping culture in the United States has gotten out of hand, but its roots go very deep. Tipping has been a part of the culture in the United States since the early 1800s, when tips were given to pirates and porters. Today, the share of workers who rely on tips as part of their wages is extraordinary, with sixty percent of service workers stating that they rely on tips for over 30 percent of their income. Many restaurants incorporate mandatory tips on customers’ bills, which has changed tipping from being voluntary.

This Note will propose that “tipped employees” across different …

Breaking The Chain: How An Alternate Dispute Resolution Process Can Be Used In The Criminal Justice System For First-Time Non-Violent Criminal Offenders, Leora Perlstein

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

The criminal justice system is deeply rooted in our history. There are traditional views on how it should be run and conducted. “Founded on the concept that crimes against an individual are crimes against the state, our justice system prosecutes individuals as though they victimized all of society.” Traditionally, when individuals commit a crime, they go through the process of receiving a ticket—or if they commit a particular violent crime they will be immediately arrested—and then they go through the process of appearing in court for an arraignment in which they are “read the charges against [them]” and are either …

Designing A Victims’ Compensation System Amidst California’S Insurance Crisis: The Aftermath Of The 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires, Federica Simonelli

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Commentary will explore critical aspects necessary for creating victims’ compensation mechanisms capable of handling claims stemming from the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires from a theoretical perspective. Drawing from the successful examples of the 2020 PG&E Fire Victim Trust, the 2023 Maui Wildfires compensation schemes, and other forms of dispute resolution (such as mediation), this Commentary will demonstrate that the challenging fallouts of environmental disasters pose increased challenges and necessitate unique dispute system design to better respond to the need for fair and equitable solutions. These systems increasingly rely on settlement funds tailored to claimants’ specific needs and have proven …

Scaling 'Reverse Cfius': A Comparative Review Of Outbound Foreign Investment, Hannah Pérez

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note examines the evolution of U.S. regulations on outbound foreign investments, particularly under Executive Order 14105, known as "Reverse CFIUS," aimed at mitigating national security risks by restricting investments in critical industries in countries like China. It explores the legal, economic, and geopolitical implications of these regulations and compares them with similar measures in the EU, Japan, and Australia, emphasizing the need for international cooperation to effectively address these security concerns.

Duped: The Implications Of The Proliferaiton Of Superfake Luxury Goods And What Consumers May Not Have Considered, Riann Colbert

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The proliferation of "Superfake" luxury goods, which are high-quality counterfeit items nearly indistinguishable from authentic products, poses significant challenges to trademark law, consumer protection, and the broader economy. These items, often sold through e-commerce platforms, not only undermine legitimate businesses but also expose consumers to health risks, support organized crime, and perpetuate environmental harm. The note advocates for enhanced legal frameworks and consumer education to mitigate these issues.

Healing An Unimaginable Loss: How Social Media Platforms Can Help Bereaved Parents Through Adr, Molly Baraban

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note will argue that Alternative Dispute Resolution ("ADR") can successfully be utilized to mediate disputes between parents and social media platforms to facilitate account access in certain instances where a minor child has passed away in a manner that warrants answers. This Note will argue that the rise in mediation being used to resolve probate issues and reform of arbitration use amongst social media platforms, coupled with the continued increase of minors using social media, indicates opportunities for settlements between parents and platforms. This Note will then propose a multi-tiered approach, that would first utilize a conciliator who is …

Three-Stripe Life: How Adidas Can Act As A Model In Trademark Disputes By Promoting Internal Alternative Dispute Resolutions, Adam Gaudet

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note will propose that large brands with broad trademarks develop internal strategies and departments which facilitate preemptive mediation and negotiations with smaller designers, ultimately deescalating disputes before any formal legal issues arise. These negotiations and mediations could lead to brand collaborations and new business ventures, could persuade smaller brands to stop their intellectual property infringement, and, in the least ideal situation, lead to a lawsuit. The strategies outlined in this Note, while focused on Adidas, can be applied by other fashion companies as well, as large brands often own many broad trademarks that small businesses might accidentally use. Businesses …

How To Beat The Nfl’S Best Defense: Attacking The Mass Arbitration Phenomenon With Class Arbitration, Thomas Riley

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

During his seventeen-year tenure as Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL), Roger Goodell never testified at trial. However, that changed when a class of plaintiffs sued the NFL for antitrust violations, alleging the League artificially inflated the cost of its viewership package—NFL Sunday Ticket—and thereby harmed consumers. NFL Sunday Ticket is described as a “premium sports package” that allows fans to watch out-of-market games they otherwise would not be able to view in their current market. This David and Goliath moment was a chance to discipline the pricing of one of the most popular television products in the United …

Closed Doors To Justice: How The Copyright Claims Board Is Shutting Out Pro Se Litigants, Melissa Eckhause

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

The Copyright Claims Board (CCB), established under the Copyright Alternative in Small-Claims Enforcement Act of 2020, was intended to provide an accessible forum for resolving small-value copyright disputes, particularly for pro se parties. However, the CCB has failed to fulfill this promise, with nearly 90% of pro se claims being dismissed without resolution on the merits. The CCB's strict compliance requirements and failure to liberally construe pro se claims have created a system more burdensome than federal court, contrary to Congress' intent. The article proposes reforms to align the CCB's practices with its original purpose of accessibility and simplicity for …

Law, Conflict, And Hybrid Warfare: A Teaching Imperative For A Changing World, Cynthia Alkon, Andrea K. Schneider

Articles

Lawyers increasingly find themselves at the frontlines of the battlefield, just not in the traditional sense. Hybrid warfare is a conflict form that combines traditional military offensive measures with nontraditional methods, including the harnessing of legal systems to achieve strategic goals. Lawyers have always been at the frontline of typical legal risk assessment, thinking about a client's risk of liability or regulation costs generally. Now, lawyers must stand at the ready for a lot more: lawyers must be prepared for cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns using artificial intelligence, the use of court systems to suppress reporting or shield bad actors, and so …

Towards The Faa's Next Century: Clarifying Disclosure Requirements In Arbitration, Andrea K. Schneider, Brian Farkas

Articles

This essay provides a roadmap to the current landscape of neutrality and disclosure. It then suggests three possible reforms to the FAA that would provide better guidance to arbitrators, parties, and courts. Moreover, this essay argues that if the FAA cannot be sufficiently amended, states should take the lead. States can continue to more clearly outline disclosure requirements and enforce clearer standards than the current version of the FAA.

Russia’S Undermining Of International Arbitration: A Pattern Of Subversion, Joseph E. Samuels

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

Over the last few years, Russia has engaged in undermining the international arbitration system. This pattern culminated in a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation on July 26, 2024, effectively restricting the enforcement of international arbitration awards against Russian parties when rendered by arbitrators from “unfriendly” states. The path to this decision began with Russia’s 2020 amendments to its Arbitrazh (Commercial) Procedure Code. The addition of Article 248 allows the courts to assume jurisdiction over disputes covered by an arbitration agreement,[3] where the agreement becomes unenforceable due to “obstacles in access to justice”.

The print edition …

How Adr Can Be Implemented As A Useful Tool With Contract Disputes Between Agents And Their Clientele, Leora Perlstein

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

The entertainment, sports, and arts industry is a fast-paced and profitable field that draws in a wide range of stakeholders, such as producers, artists, labels, and agents. Contracts play a vital role in safeguarding the interests of all parties in the entertainment industry; they clarify the terms of agreement, protect intellectual property rights, and offer a framework for resolving disputes. Although the idea behind contracts sounds positive and secure for a client, there are darker portrayals of the arts and entertainment industries— or, for example, a record company— which may try to stifle a young artist’s creativity through deception in …

Quantifying And Measuring The Use Of Adr Methods In International Cultural Property Disputes, Isioma Okocha

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

The use of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms to retrieve illegally acquired cultural artifacts, looted colonial-era art, and other cultural property obtained through dubious means has increased. Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration have been used to resolve international cultural property disputes. International institutions have made efforts to facilitate the return of cultural property. The United Nations Educational, Cultural, and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) established the Return of Cultural Property to Its Countries of Origin or Its Restitution in Case of Illicit Appropriation (ICPRCP) in 1978. Additionally, UNESCO adopted the Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing …

The Role Of Mediation In Resolving First Amendment Disputes, Particularly In Cases Involving Freedom Of Speech Or Religion, Brian Lakhtarnik

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

The First Amendment of the United States Constitution reads:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

In other words, all U.S. residents are guaranteed freedom of expression, religious practices, and free assembly. This article explores how Alternative Dispute Resolution could be applied to First Amendment conflicts, particularly in disputes over freedom of speech.

The print edition of the issue has also been …

Empowering Ukraine’S First Legal Responders: Ukrainian-Us Collaboration And Clinics, Susan Felstiner, Davida Finger, Michelle Greenberg-Kobrin, Maria Tsypiashchuck

Articles

At the onset of the full-scale Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, U.S. law clinic professors worked alongside the leadership of the Association of Legal Clinics of Ukraine. The mutual objective was to support Ukrainian law professors and facilitate the continued legal education of their students, particularly the acquisition of skills typically taught in law clinics. Ultimately, the online partnership that developed focused on skills training and included seven Ukrainian law schools, faculty from over six U.S. law schools and one private law firm, and USAID Justice for All Activity in Ukraine. The overall goals of this collaboration were to …

South Korea’S Financial Supervisory Service Mediating Disputes Over Hong Kong-Tied Equity-Linked Security Losses, Michele Kallo

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

Since January 8, 2024, South Korea’s financial regulator, Financial Supervisory Service (FSS), has investigated major Korean banks for selling high-risk equity-linked securities (ELS) products linked to Hong Kong’s Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI), which resulted in substantial financial losses among South Korean investors. An ELS is a derivative product that promises returns if the underlying asset—in this case, the HSCEI—stays above a specified “knock-in” level until it matures. Due to the severe decline in the HSCEI, many ELS products have seen drastic devaluations, leading to significant losses for investors, including those who are risk averse. Investors aged 65 and …

Adr In The Digital Age: How Online Platforms Are Better Suited To Resolve Disputes Than Traditional Forums, Matthew Zelman

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

Since Covid-19 remote work has been increasing astronomically in the US. According to a Gallup poll, even now that Covid-19 is in the past, approximately 27% of workers are fully remote, 53% hybrid, and 21% fully on site. While there are significant benefits to working from home, there are detriments including losing key relationships with coworkers. As people could not physically see their coworkers in person and grow and learn from each other’s body language and personal observations, they started losing respect for each other. This led to an increase in conflicts amongst remote workers with one survey finding that …

Luxury, Legacy, And Resolution: Adr In The World Of Branded Residences, Michael J. Brinn

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

As of mid-2023, there were 690 completed branded residence schemes across the world, with over 600 schemes in the pipeline expected to be delivered by 2030. Branded residences have become increasingly popular in the luxury real estate market, offering a unique blend of high-end living and hotel-like amenities. These developments, often associated with renowned hotels, present an attractive proposition for buyers seeking both a personal retreat and an investment opportunity. The rental programs offered by developers and branding partners in these luxury projects is one of the main attractive aspects for buyers. It offers the owner the best of both …

Defining The Scope Of Section 1 Of The Federal Arbitration Act: Recent Judicial Interpretations And Implications For The Gig Economy, Charlie Wiener

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

Section 1 of the Federal Arbitration Act states that “nothing herein contained shall apply to contracts of employment of seamen, railroad employees, or any other class of workers engaged in foreign or interstate commerce.” Since the turn of the millennium, the courts have found reason to define the exact limits of the scope of this exception. Notably, Circuit City Stores v. Adams, 532 U.S. 105 (2001), held that the exception in Section 1 must be read narrowly only to include transportation workers, otherwise the enumeration of seamen and railroad employees would not make sense.

The print edition of the issue …

The International Longshoremen’S Association Strike & Removing Public And Political Pressures From The Bargaining Table, Jilly Horowitz

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

The International Longshoremen’s Association (“ILA”) is the labor union that represents dockworkers in ports along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico. The management counterpart to the ILA is the United States Maritime Alliance (“USMX”) which represents the various employers associated with the East and Gulf Coast ports. The most recent ILA-USMX master contract, or collective bargaining agreement, ran from October 1, 2018 to September 30, 2024 (the “2018 Agreement”). As ILA workers prepared for a new contract, their two main concerns were securing pay increases and continuing assurances that human jobs would not be replaced by automation.

The print …

The Biden Administration’S Negotiations With Pharmaceutical Companies, Isabel Anthony

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

The Biden administration has conducted the government’s first ever negotiations with pharmaceutical companies on the cost of life saving drugs. They have been able to negotiate prices down by nearly 80%. The drugs at the center of negotiations are ones that people are prescribed for years at a time in order to manage illnesses such as heart disease, Crohn’s disease, and more. In order to conduct these negotiations, the Biden administration used march-in rights built into the Bayh-Dole Act.

The print edition of the issue has also been released. This post was originally published on the Cardozo Journal of Conflict …

Challenging The Block: Analyzing The Bar Against California’S Enforcement Of Ab 51, Natalie Pearson

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

As of 2024, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California issued a permanent injunction, barring the enforcement of California’s Assembly Bill 51 (“AB 51”). California’s AB 51 was a state law aimed at prohibiting California employers from requiring arbitration agreements as a condition of employment, protecting workers from being forced into arbitration. The law was set to take effect in 2020 but was delayed by immediate legal challenges. After four years of litigation, the state law was permanently enjoined.

The print edition of the issue has also been released. This post was originally published on the Cardozo …

When To Back Down: Balancing Public Relations With Arbitration, Eli Mizrahi

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

In 2023, Kanokporn Tansgsuan died of an allergic reaction while dining at the Raglan Road Irish Pub. According to a lawsuit filed by Jeffrey Piccolo, Kanokporn’s husband, after informing a waiter of Tangsuan’s severe allergies, they received assurances that the food would be allergy free. Forty-five minutes later, Tangsuan had a severe allergic reaction and died in the hospital. While the restaurant is located in the Disney Springs shopping, dining, and entertainment complex, it is “neither owned nor operated by Disney” according to a statement released by Disney.

Subsequently, Mr. Piccolo filed suit against Disney and the restaurant for wrongful …

“Battlefield Humanitarianism”: Navigating The Role Of Adr In Humanitarian Law Complexities Of Urban Warfare, Benjamin Gotian

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

The resulting devastation of World War II produced a need for rules of engagement and protection of innocent civilians. Nevertheless, an increasing number of armed conflicts are currently being fought in dense urban environments. As a result, the risk of collateral damage and harm to civilians has drastically increased, making it significantly more difficult to adhere to international humanitarian law (“IHL”) and the rules of war.

Ensuring civilians caught in the crossfire get the necessary humanitarian aid and coordinating with all stakeholders is incredibly complex. This process of protecting civilians in active war zones and generally upholding humanitarian law is …

Kukin Program Newsletter – Fall 2024, Kukin Program For Conflict Resolution

Kukin Program Newsletters

The Kukin Program Newsletter – Fall 2024 captures recent achievements, events, and updates from the Kukin Program for Conflict Resolution at Cardozo School of Law. This issue highlights the prestigious Peace Gala honoring founding director Professor Lela P. Love, insights from prominent alumni in the dispute resolution field, student leadership accomplishments, and recent awards and fellowships. Readers can explore feature articles on impactful projects and innovations in conflict resolution, including new initiatives by the CPR Institute and the International Advocate for Peace Award. This newsletter offers a comprehensive view of the Kukin Program’s dedication to advancing negotiation, mediation, and advocacy …

Cjcr Publishes Volume 25, Issue 3 (Summer 2024), Jane Perov

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution (CJCR) Blog

The Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution—the country’s preeminent legal journal of arbitration, negotiation, mediation, settlement, and restorative justice—today published the web edition of Volume 25, Issue 3 (Summer 2024). The print edition of the issue has also been released.

Accessible at Volume 25.3: Summer 2024, this issue contains Articles by Rachel Ringort, Ayelet Sela, Roselle L. Wissler, and Art Hinshaw, and Notes by Shifra Ben-Jacob, Eliott Dosetareh, Daniel Hyungtae Kim, and Jillian Leavey.

The print edition of the issue has also been released. This post was originally published on the Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution website on September 4, 2024.

Consumer Litigant Finance And Legal Ethics: Empirical Observations From Texas, Anthony J. Sebok, Lynn A. Baker

Articles

A handful of states, including Texas, have Rules of Professional Responsibility which permit attorneys to provide cash advances to their own clients. In previous work, we suggested that if more states permitted law firms to offer this sort of funding to their clients it would increase competition within the consumer litigant funding market, to the benefit of consumers. We also hypothesized that relaxing these existing prohibitions would better enable tort claimants to decline low-ball settlement offers from defendants in one-off cases.

This Article offers some initial insights into these questions. It reports the findings of our modest empirical study involving …