Welcome to the Dispute Resolution Section

Section status recognizes the critical importance of negotiation, collaboration, mediation, neutral evaluation, arbitration and new and hybrid forms of dispute resolution in all areas of legal practice. The Section is a forum for improving these processes and the understanding of dispute resolution alternatives, for enhancing the proficiency of practitioners and neutrals and increasing the knowledge and availability of party-selected solutions.

The Section will serve this mission by:

• Creating committees to explore and research developments in ethics, substantive law, and legislative initiatives relating to our shared interests
• Sponsoring publication of analysis and opinion on dispute resolution processes
• Providing continuing legal education and training to practitioners and neutrals
• Promoting relevant legislation
• Providing commentary on ethical issues affecting dispute resolution
• Providing a venue for practitioners, law school faculty and students, and dispute resolution providers to network, exchange ideas, and to interact with other members of the Bar and to the public on issues relating to dispute resolution.

To join the section, please e-mail your request to drs@nysba.org. If you would like to join NYSBA, membership information is available here.

Section Reports and Papers 

The Section recently submitted comments to the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with respect to the study of arbitration mandated by the Dodd Frank Act.

• The Section is proud to have developed a brochure for broad distribution entitled: Choose New York for International Arbitration (PDF) 
• The Section is proud to have developed a brochure for broad distribution entitled: Guidelines for the Arbitrator's Conduct of the Pre-Hearing Phase of Domestic, Commercial Arbitrations and Guidelines for the Arbitrator's Conduct of the Pre-Hearing Phase of International Arbitrations (PDF)
• February 2011: Report on the Section Survey of Mediation Users (PDF)
• January 2011: Section Prepares White Papers on Benefits of Arbitration and Mediation for Substantive Areas of Law 
• January 2011: Section Issues Reports on Mediation and Arbitration

Section News and Articles of Interest

March 2011 - a Message from the Chair: A Hope of International Peace Mediation 

Summary of Annual Meeting programs prepared by student members of the Section (PDF)

View an upcoming article from the next issue of New York Dispute Resolution Lawyer
Practical Uses of ADR in Outsourcing Relationships by Julian Millstein and Sherman Kahn  (PDF)

Learn more about committee activities and meet the chairs 

Minutes of recent Section Executive Committee meetings 

Resources:

• Slide Presentation on The Uniform Mediation Act (PDF)
• New NY Rule on Neutral Training (PDF) (Part 146 Rule of the Chief Administrative Judge)
• French Law on Arbitration (PDF)
• Proposed Uniform Mediation Act - Legislative Bill# AB 1756, introduced January 11, 2011.
• The Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators (2005).
• Model Standards of Practice for Family and Divorce Mediation (approved by the American Bar Association February 2011).

 *See separate Resources Library Page for additional resources.