This course gives students a practical introduction to the burgeoning area of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). The course will cover the main areas of ADR namely, arbitration and mediation. Particular attention will be paid to mediation as a form of dispute resolution. Traditionally contract disputes have been resolved either through the government dispute process or through litigation. This diploma course will examine other approaches collectively known as “Alternative Dispute Resolution” overviewing the long history of ADR, the elements of ADR, and its advantages and disadvantages. The three major ADR approaches namely arbitration, mediation, conciliation are each described in terms of their processes, procedures and appropriate uses. The course will address the role of ethics in the use of ADR. It will also consider how to establish an ADR program your work environment and how to build ADR language into legal and business contracts.
