Basic ADR Course

Lesson 1 • Overview of the ADR Spectrum

Maps the full range of ADR processes from negotiation to arbitration. Students gain a comparative view that anchors all subsequent method-specific chapters.

Lesson 2 • Conflict and Its Core Dynamics

Examines the nature, sources, and escalation patterns of conflict. Provides the analytical lens needed to understand why ADR methods are designed the way they are.

Lesson 3 • Ethical Foundations of ADR Practice

Introduces core ethical duties governing all ADR practitioners. Students learn the values that underpin professional conduct before engaging in any process.

Lesson 4 • Historical and Theoretical Roots of ADR

Traces ADR from ancient community practices to modern institutionalization. Grounds students in the theoretical traditions that shape current practice.

Lesson 1 • Reframing and Normalizing Statements

Teaches how to transform accusatory or positional language into interest-based, forward-looking statements. Reframing is a core mediator intervention skill.

Lesson 2 • Nonverbal Communication and Presence

Examines body language, proxemics, and vocal tone as signals that affect trust and process dynamics. Students calibrate their own nonverbal presence.

Lesson 3 • Effective Questioning Techniques

Covers open, closed, probing, and hypothetical questions and their strategic uses. Students learn to sequence questions to guide parties toward insight without leading.

Lesson 4 • Managing High-Emotion Conversations

Provides tools for de-escalating emotional intensity without dismissing parties' feelings. Students practice grounding techniques and empathic responses under pressure.

Lesson 1 • Negotiation Styles and Approaches

Distinguishes positional from interest-based negotiation and maps personal style tendencies. Students identify their default approach and its strategic implications.

Lesson 2 • Identifying Interests Behind Positions

Teaches techniques for uncovering underlying needs, fears, and motivations. This skill is the engine of integrative agreements in negotiation and mediation alike.

Lesson 3 • Negotiation Tactics and Counter-Tactics

Surveys common tactical moves and the responses that neutralize them. Students practice recognizing and countering hardball tactics ethically.

Lesson 4 • BATNA, WATNA, and Reservation Points

Explains how parties assess their alternatives and set walk-away thresholds. Students calculate and leverage these benchmarks to negotiate from a position of clarity.

Lesson 1 • Issue Identification and Agenda Setting

Teaches how to surface all issues, prioritize them, and build a workable agenda. Structured agenda setting prevents parties from talking past each other.

Lesson 2 • Private Sessions and Caucus Strategy

Explains when and how to use caucuses to break impasse, reality-test, and manage power imbalances. Students practice caucus entry and exit techniques.

Lesson 3 • Pre-Mediation Intake and Preparation

Covers screening, conflict-of-interest checks, and logistical setup before the session begins. Proper intake prevents process failures and protects all parties.

Lesson 4 • Reaching and Documenting Agreement

Covers option generation, reality-testing proposals, and drafting durable agreements. Students produce a written memorandum of understanding from a simulated case.

Lesson 5 • Opening Statements and Ground Rules

Guides students through delivering a mediator opening that establishes authority, process, and safety. A strong opening sets the tone for productive dialogue.

Lesson 1 • Diagnosing the Sources of Impasse

Identifies cognitive, emotional, structural, and relational causes of deadlock. Accurate diagnosis is the prerequisite for selecting the right intervention.

Lesson 2 • Interest-Based Impasse Interventions

Applies interest-mapping, option expansion, and criteria-based evaluation to break deadlock. These techniques preserve relationships while moving parties toward agreement.

Lesson 3 • Reality Testing and Risk Analysis

Teaches practitioners to help parties evaluate the risks of non-settlement against proposed terms. Reality testing is especially powerful in evaluative and arbitration contexts.

Lesson 4 • Process Adjustments to Overcome Deadlock

Covers structural interventions such as changing venue, format, or participants to shift dynamics. Students learn when process redesign is more effective than content intervention.

Lesson 1 • Arbitrator Selection and Appointment

Covers methods for selecting arbitrators, disclosure obligations, and challenge procedures. Students evaluate arbitrator qualifications and potential bias.

Lesson 2 • Arbitral Awards and Enforcement

Analyzes the structure of arbitral awards, grounds for challenge, and enforcement mechanisms. Students assess whether a sample award meets legal and procedural standards.

Lesson 3 • Arbitral Proceedings and Evidence

Walks through pleadings, document exchange, hearings, and witness examination in arbitration. Students apply procedural rules to a mock arbitration scenario.

Lesson 4 • Nature and Types of Arbitration

Distinguishes binding from non-binding arbitration and voluntary from mandatory forms. Students map arbitration's role relative to mediation and litigation.

Lesson 1 • Power Dynamics in Dispute Resolution

Defines types of power and their effects on negotiation and mediation dynamics. Students identify power imbalances and assess their impact on process fairness.

Lesson 2 • Managing Power Imbalances as a Neutral

Provides concrete techniques for balancing participation without abandoning neutrality. Students practice interventions that protect process integrity under power asymmetry.

Lesson 3 • Cultural Dimensions of Conflict

Applies cross-cultural frameworks to explain differing conflict norms, communication styles, and negotiation expectations. Students avoid cultural assumptions in practice.

Lesson 4 • Adapting ADR Processes Across Cultures

Guides practitioners in modifying process structure, communication style, and agreement formats for cross-cultural contexts. Students design a culturally adapted mediation plan.

Lesson 1 • ADR in Commercial and Business Disputes

Applies mediation and arbitration to contract, partnership, and commercial conflicts. Students analyze case studies to select and design appropriate ADR processes.

Lesson 2 • Online Dispute Resolution Platforms

Introduces technology-enabled ADR tools including video mediation, asynchronous platforms, and AI-assisted negotiation. Students evaluate platform suitability for dispute types.

Lesson 3 • Family and Community Dispute Resolution

Addresses divorce, parenting plan, and community conflict mediation with attention to vulnerability and safety. Students apply trauma-informed principles to family cases.

Lesson 4 • ADR in Workplace and Employment Contexts

Covers grievance mediation, peer review panels, and ombudsman programs in organizational settings. Students design a workplace dispute resolution system.