“I started paddling. The water felt ominous. I doubted my ability to read the map, worried about finding hidden portages, and wondered if I’d made a colossal mistake. But I just kept going…” That was my first day on a two-week solo canoe expedition through Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). At 53, with a…
A recent study from Cornell University reignites the debate on how language impacts our interactions with AI—and each other. On April 18, 2025, an article published in O Globo – a major Brazilian newspaper prompted me to reflect. It reported on a recent study from Cornell University, revealing that the way we address artificial intelligence…
In the case of Destin Trading Inc v Saipem SA [2025] EWHC 668 (Ch) (24 March 2025), the English High Court (Chancery Division) held that the dispute resolution clause contained in a settlement agreement superseded the arbitration clause in a previous contract concluded between the parties. This decision underscores the importance of mediators discussing with…
“We are used to thinking about competitions in which there is only one winner….But the world is rarely like that.. The key to doing well lies not in overcoming others, but in eliciting their co-operation.” Robert Axelrod Zero-sum thinking (one can only improve one’s position at someone else’s expense) seems to becoming ever more prevalent…
Understanding the Challenge From 2019 to 2022, the New Zealand International Arbitration Centre (NZIAC) collaborated with Gerard Doolin on an international research initiative exploring the causes of software project misalignment and the role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms in mitigating or resolving emerging contract disputes. Gerard Doolin, an NZIAC Panel Mediator and member of…
Mediation is well suited to resolving family disputes due to their personal nature and emotional context, as well as their complexity and the inability, or even futility, of deciding who is ‘right’ and who is ‘wrong’. Mediation is also recognized as an effective tool for solving family conflicts by improving communication between parties and lowering…
The Court of Appeal decision in Churchill v Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council [2023] marks a significant development in the area of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the context of Court proceedings. For clients involved in litigation, this case represents a shift in the Court’s approach to mediation, potentially impacting how…
Neutrality is often held up as the cornerstone of mediation, a beacon of fairness ensuring balanced outcomes. Yet, this hallowed principle might not be as straightforward or as beneficial as it seems. When we peel back the layers, neutrality reveals itself as a nebulous ideal—challenging to define, difficult to achieve, and questionable in its desirability….
In a world where business disputes can drag on for years and generate exorbitant costs, mediation stands out as an efficient path to resolving conflicts more quickly and economically. However, when third-party litigation funding is involved, the dynamics shift significantly. The key question is: does litigation funding encourage mediation, or does it become an obstacle…
Fisher and Ury’s Getting to Yes (first published in 1981 and never out of print) was followed ten years later by Ury’s Getting Past No. Both made a significant impact on our negotiation preparation and engagement. These texts, and others that followed, changed the landscape of negotiation in ways that have been remarkable and enduring….
