Modern Developments in ADR

Starting in the United States in the late 1970'ies and spreading out into the global community in the 1990'ies there was a significant return to negotiated dispute settlement processes as business became disenchanted with the cost and delay associated with the judicial process. Whilst negotiation has always been central to dispute resolution (most court cases settle at the courthouse door) it was not treated as a professional skill. The degree of expertise possessed by modern ADR practitioners has led to ADR Practice taking on professional status in its own right. Today's industry specialists are encouraged to develop sophisticated decision making and negotiation skills enabling them to play an active role in ADR processes.