Celebrating its 15th year, the Section of Dispute Resolution, the largest dispute-resolution organization in the world, has grown to more than 19,000 members, including mediators, arbitrators, attorney advocates, users, professors and law students. The section’s rapid growth is strong evidence of its status as a world leader in dispute-resolution policy and practice, and a testament to the vitality of the dispute-resolution field itself.
The section has been active in fulfilling its mission, as demonstrated by the report of the Task Force on Improving Mediation Quality, which presents a nuanced discussion of mediation practices and provides recommendations and next-step projects on the most important elements of high-quality, successful mediations. Additionally, the Committee on Mediator Ethical Guidance continues to render advice in response to inquiries regarding the practical application of the Model Standards of Conduct for Mediators in specific situations. During the next year, the section will develop a formal policy on dispute resolution, a statement of principles that will establish the section’s positions on issues such as informed consent, access, education, compensation, qualifications, conflicts of interest, ethical standards, impartiality and fairness.
