Arbitration And Mediation Skills Workshop

Washington College of Law Arbitration and Mediation Certificate

In today’s complex and dynamic business environment, many clients prefer to avoid litigation by settling or arbitrating their claims, saving time, money, and reputation. The skills and best practices of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) have become a key piece of any effective business attorney’s professional toolbox. This one-day course will introduce you to the fundamentals of mediation and arbitration, which are the two most common and widely used forms of ADR. You will learn how to prepare for, participate in, and follow up on mediation and arbitration sessions, as well as how to communicate with your clients and the other parties involved. You will also gain insights from experienced ADR practitioners through guided discussions and exercises that simulate real-world scenarios. By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Explain the benefits and challenges of mediation and arbitration
• Identify the appropriate situations and cases for using mediation and arbitration
• Apply the principles and techniques of effective mediation and arbitration
• Understand the drafting of negotiated settlement and arbitration awards
• Assess the challenges and advantages of technological developments

This course is designed to be fun and memorable, as well as informative and practical. You will engage in interactive activities, role-plays, and case studies that will help you apply what you learn and retain it for future use. You will also receive feedback and tips from the instructor and your peers, as well as a certificate of completion. Enroll today and take your practice to the next level.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Place: Grand Hyatt, 1000 H St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Room 1, Penn A/B

Session 1: 9:00 – 10:40 a.m.

Understanding ADR and Drafting the ADR Clause.

• Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Understanding the ADR Spectrum through a game.
• Hacking the dispute settlement clause: tips and practical exercise.
• “Put me in Coach!” - working with a neutral/mediator and ADR institutions.
• Having Your Cake and Eating Too: Managing parallel mediation and arbitration processes.

Instructors:
Hernando Otero, Arbitrator and Mediator, Adjunct Professor of the Center on International Commercial Arbitration, American University Washington College of Law??????
Bjorn Arp, Arbitrator, and Assistant Director of the Center on International Commercial Arbitration, American University Washington College of Law

Coffee Break: 10:40 – 11:00 a.m.

Session 2: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Understanding the Mediation Process through film and art.

• The mediation process through Hollywood film.
•  The art of negotiation through improvisation theater.

Instructors:
Hernando Otero, Arbitrator and Mediator, Adjunct Professor of the Center on International Commercial Arbitration, American University Washington College of Law.
Ethan McSweeny, Tony-nominated, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Helen Hayes, and Irish Times award winning director

Lunch Break: 12:30 – 2:30 p.m.

Session 3: 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Arbitration Skills

• Domestic v. international: adjusting to different mindsets
• Bridging the common and civil law divide for practitioners
• Written and oral advocacy
• Technical and technological support for complex and high value proceedings

Instructors:
Liz Snodgrass, Partner, Three Crowns
Caroline Richard, Partner, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
Bjorn Arp, Arbitrator, Fellow and Assistant Director of the Center on International Commercial Arbitration, American University Washington College of Law

Coffee Break: 4:00 – 4:30 p.m.

Session 4: 4:30 – 6:00 p.m.

Novel Developments in Arbitration Law: Arbitration in Practice

• Judicial support to arbitration: Recent developments in the US, Europe, and Beyond: What changes and how?
• The big players in arbitration: transformations in the work of law firms, arbitrators, corporations, and states as regards to arbitration
• Institutional developments at leading ADR providers: “best kept secrets”

Instructors:
Horacio A. Grigera Naón, Independent International Arbitrator, former Secretary General of the International Court of Arbitration at the International Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Center on International Commercial Arbitration at American University Washington College of Law.
Marinn Carlson, Independent Arbitrator
Bjorn Arp, Arbitrator, Fellow and Assistant Director of the Center on International Commercial Arbitration, American University Washington College of Law