How do you get the best results for your client in an ADR process?
Having spent the better part of last year involved in a number of commercial arbitration hearings both as a litigator and as an AAA commercial arbitrator, I offer my favorite practical tips for handling the evidence in your client’s arbitration effectively:
- Provide the arbitrators with a prehearing submission that includes your top 20 documents so they have easy reference to key documents.
- Copy all of your exhibits double-sided. This will reduce the number of exhibit binders, make your presentation smoother, and reduce the time and sheer physical challenge of moving from binder to binder for you, the witness, and the arbitrators.
- Commercial arbitration documents and emails are long; consider pre-highlighting relevant portions to focus attention. Also, consider whether an electronic presentation may speed up arbitration time by presenting document images with highlighted portions on a screen. (Be mindful, however, that electronic presentations are not a substitute for the exhibit binders that many arbitrators prefer.)
- Give the arbitrators flash drives containing your exhibits and exhibit list, which can be updated as needed. Not every arbitrator wants or has room for all of your binders back in her office.
- Buy an inexpensive bookshelf to use at the arbitration. Having your exhibit binders organized and placed on shelves right behind you, instead of piling them on boxes, will be a godsend.
This blog posting is for informational and educational purposes only. It is general in nature and not person or circumstance specific. This blog posting is not intended nor should it be construed as rendering independent investment, legal or tax advice. It may but does not necessarily constitute attorney advertising.