V Juris’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Practice acknowledges that some civil cases are best resolved without a trial. ADR occurs without a judge, and instead relies upon the services of a third party, trained in alternative forms of dispute resolution, who facilitates settlement discussions and strategies on behalf of the opposing parties.

The firm’s experience in complex commercial litigation allows V Juris to advise clients on whether a trial or alternative form of resolution is more beneficial. An ADR may be advisable in a broad spectrum of civil disputes, which may include personal injuries, commercial disputes, construction disputes or professional liability.

We can provide legal counsel in every forum for resolving civil disputes, including:

FACILITATION: Members of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Practice can serve as neutral moderators to encourage settlement between parties. Our attorneys seek to build on common grounds for discussion, and provide a knowledgeable third-party perspective to reach a fair resolution. 

MEDIATION: After the parties to the dispute present their respective positions, one or more neutral mediators will submit non-binding settlement value. Moderators can provide an objective view of the strengths and weaknesses of each party’s position. This can be the basis for a formal resolution that is acceptable to both parties in the dispute.

ARBITRATION: This is the most well-known and traditional alternative to courtroom litigation. One or more arbitrators, chosen by mutual consent, hear and decide the dispute. The process typically allows the parties to exchange far less information than would be revealed in the discovery process preceding a civil trial. The decision in an arbitrated case is legally binding.

Advantages of Avoiding Litigation: Prior to engaging in ADR, we evaluate the particular dispute and advise on the appropriate forum. Depending on the case, we offer our corporate clients advantages in economy, privacy and convenience by:

• Significantly reducing the time spent on hearings by strictly defining the information to be exchanged. 
• Helping to safeguard our clients’ privacy by taking the case out of the courtroom setting, through the use of appropriate ADR processes. Civil trials are open to the public and documents involved in civil litigation are public records.
• Arranging for proceedings at locations and times convenient for our clients. Proceedings can be held at any mutually agreeable location, anywhere in the country. Times can be scheduled without dependence on a court docket.