Alternative dispute resolution and mediation

If you work in employment law, you'll already be familiar with the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.  Their website is also a useful reference point for alternative dispute resolution. The "Disputes Resolution" section of the site helpfully explains the different types of ADR available and free online learning courses and resources are available.

The Adjudication Society is a not-for-profit Society promoting resolution of construction disputes by means of adjudication. The website has a database of relevant construction legal cases from the UK and Australia / New Zealand, together with a collection of articles, papers, research and guidance notes.

The CALM in the name refers to “Comprehensive Accredited Lawyer Mediators”, a grouping of family law mediators, accredited by the Law Society of Scotland. The site includes a rundown of Law Society rules as they apply to mediation.  You can also access CALM's YouTube and iTunes content from here.

The Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) is a long-established, independent, non-profit organisation which promotes the use of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.  The site gives further information on mediation, including several interesting blogs, videos and podcasts. 

The Scottish branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) can be found on these pages.  Mostly information for members, you can also make use of their "Find a Resolver" search engine.

While this site is obviously of most interest to existing or prospective members within this particular field (no pun intended!), it is of use in finding locally based valuers – should the need arise.

Following the passing of the Arbitration (Scotland) Act 2010, which aims to promote Scotland as a centre for international arbitration cases, this is the website of the not-for-profit organisation which offers to deal with such cases. The site includes model arbitration clauses to be used in contracts specifying Scotland as the seat of arbitration in any domestic or international arbitration case.

This website provides a very useful summary of the different kinds of mediation and a search tool for finding mediators in different parts of Scotland.  You can also access the Scottish Mediation Register and sign up to the Scottish Mediation Charter - "a public statement of any organisation’s willingness to use mediation as a way of resolving disputes and to equipping its people with the skills of mediation."

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center offers mediation, arbitration, expedited arbitration, and expert determination to help settle domestic or international intellectual property disputes, including domain name disputes.  The website explains the process, and the overview of the legal issues arising in domain name disputes, complete with links to relevant case law, looks especially useful.