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Advocacy & Alternative Dispute Resolution: Dispute Resolution

This guide provides links and descriptions to many of the library's resources related to advocacy and dispute resolution, including trial advocacy, client counseling, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, evidence and professional responsibility.

General Resources

You may want to see these general resources about alternative dispute resolution:

  • Alternative Dispute Resolution.  This resource covers mediation, summary jury trials, mini-trials, and early neutral evaluation. 
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution: An Essential Competency for Lawyers. K2390 .P37 2009 - 10th Floor.  This resource covers a range of topics, including current trends in ADR. 
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution in a Nutshell.  KF9084.Z9 .N65 2008 - 6th Floor (Academic Success).  This book provides a concise overview of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods such as mediation, arbitration, and negotiation, emphasizing their processes, benefits, and increasing significance in the legal landscape for saving time and costs while preserving relationships, along with best practices and current trends in the field.

Introduction to ADR

Alternative dispute resolution, or ADR, is a "procedure for settling a dispute by means other than litigation" (Black's Law Dictionary). Common types of ADR include mediation and arbitration, both of which require negotiation skills on the part of the attorney. Mediation and arbitration involve a neutral third party who helps the disputing parties reach a resolution. A mediator's recommendation is not binding, while an arbitrator, as a rule, makes a binding decision.

This subpages of the guide covers resources on negotiation, arbitration, and mediation.