What role does alternative dispute resolution play in the American legal system?

"Increased use of alternative dispute resolution is, perhaps, the most significant development in the American legal system in the past 30 years. ADR, which includes processes such as negotiation, mediation, and arbitration, offers disputing parties a variety of mechanisms for resolving disputes so that the parties can pick the process that best suits their interests and needs. As many people know, most cases settle long before trial.

The changing dispute resolution landscape requires different training and education for today's law student. The Moritz College of Law is uniquely positioned to prepare future lawyers for whatever ADR process they might encounter. Our faculty provides the most comprehensive and expert education in ADR available in the United States. Some Moritz students choose to specialize and obtain our certificate in dispute resolution, but all Moritz students who take ADR classes will be especially well-prepared for the varied ways in which parties resolve disputes."

Sarah Rudolph Cole
Squire, Sanders & Dempsey Designated Professor of Law;
Director, Program on Dispute Resolution