Why International Companies Doing Business in the US Should Consider Mediation

When I spoke at an international legal conference in Heidelberg, Germany, in May 2003, many of the international participants were generally unfamiliar with mediation. To the international participants, “alternative dispute resolution” meant primarily international arbitration. International arbitration under the auspices of organizations such as the International Chamber of Commerce is a long-established mechanism for resolving disputes. However, international arbitration, like litigation, tends to be expensive and time consuming.