40 Hour Foundation Arbitration Workshop
Arbitration is often seen as a complex and expensive process used in high-value commercial disputes. However, arbitration can be designed to efficiently, effectively and fairly resolve disputes more typically encountered in everyday personal and commercial matters that are challenging to process through our public court system.
This arbitration workshop, delivered by highly experienced dispute resolution professionals, is an intensive five-day immersion in the knowledge and competencies required to run a fair, effective and efficient arbitration process that will be appropriate in the resolution of most commonly encountered personal and commercial disputes.
An added benefit of this workshop is that participants will also get to explore and experience the advantages of med-arbitration, an increasingly popular hybrid dispute resolution process.
This workshop will be of interest to people with a wide variation in subject matter expertise including mediators, lawyers, engineers, construction experts, health care professionals, architects, actuaries, accountants etc. and anyone wanting to seriously enhance their conflict management, med-arbitration, and arbitration skills.
Participants will be given a solid theoretical understanding of arbitration and med-arbitration and the practical skills and tools to confidently conduct, efficient, effective and fair hearings.
The workshop will take place in a positive and supportive learning environment using interactive adult teaching methods. All participants will be given opportunities to practice as an arbitrator at various stages throughout the arbitration process. Teaching methodologies include short lectures, panels, case studies, videos, demonstrations, small group discussions, interactive exercises, and role plays followed by constructive feedback.
Participants will explore where arbitration and med-arbitration fit in to the overall conflict management continuum, how they compare to other dispute resolution processes such as mediation and litigation, and when their use is appropriate.
Topics covered include: conflict management theory and principles; principles of natural justice; law and evidence; dispute resolution options including: negotiation, mediation, arbitration and med-arbitration, and how they fit into the conflict management spectrum; the applicable rules of procedure for med-arbitration and arbitration; codes of conduct; ethical decision-making; and how to write good reasoned decisions in plain English. Participants will learn how to design and conduct responsive, fair and efficient hearings. They will have ample time to interactively learn and practice effective conflict management skills including; information gathering, relationship and communication skills, problem solving and ethical decision-making skills, and good award writing.
Participants should be prepared for some work during the evenings to prepare for exercises and simulations the following day.