Confusing Dispute Resolution Jargon

Confusing Dispute Resolution Jargon

In response to my question, “Do you use “BATNA” wrong?,” I plead guilty with an explanation. With the patient teaching of my friends, Hiro Aragaki and Sanda Kaufman, I have come to see the error of my ways. I was concerned because BATNA – the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement – has become part of the vernacular, …

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The Courtroom vs. The Boxing Ring

The Courtroom vs. The Boxing Ring

Two key points: First, to be successful, a boxer must first become desensitized to the effects of inflicting injury on others. Secondly, the boxer must accept personal risk with every fight. As a litigation attorney and a writer, the boxing world is full of parallels to my profession. Many key psychological aspects of boxing are very similar to that of litigation.

The Mixed-Motive Exchange

Mixed Motive Exchange

We humans are social, but also individual. We often need help to succeed or excel. For example, early man was a poor match for a mastodon or prehistoric bison. He could hunt or gather smaller, less nutritious food alone. But he needed to hunt in a group if he were to take such dangerous high …

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Can You Back Out of a Settlement Agreement? Legal Advice

Can You Back Out of a Settlement Agreement? Legal Advice

Can you back out of a settlement agreement if you have changed your mind?  Evaluation of the risks of litigation and candid discussions of the possible strength of opponents’ arguments and the weakness of one’s own may make it seem as if everyone is against you.  The gulf between initial expectations and final settlement can be …

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AAA Construction Rules

AAA Construction Rules

When a dispute arises during a construction project, the parties may use the AAA Construction Rules, which cover arbitration and mediation procedures for construction disputes governed by the American Arbitration Association.  It allows the parties to a dispute to attempt to resolve their disagreement without going through a trial and litigating the dispute in front …

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What is the Purpose of the Bilateral Investment Treaty?

It is unlikely that one can make it through a discussion about international investment without considering the impact of bilateral investment treaties.  Bilateral investment treaties, or BITs, offer a higher level of protection, and options for dispute resolution, than investments without such treaties. Yet a person investing in their own country without much, or any, …

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Avoiding Construction Liens

Avoiding Construction Liens

The excitement and joy of building a new home can quickly be overshadowed by a construction lien, or as it is more commonly known, a mechanic’s lien. Construction liens exist because it guarantees that a contractor will be paid for the work and materials that they put into a home or building. It allows a …

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Mall Smoothie Does Not Bind Teenager To Mom’s Arbitration Agreement With Credit Card

With respect to whether the daughter was bound by the plain language of the arbitration agreement, the Court had no trouble concluding she was not.   The arbitration agreement specifically applied to claims made by authorized users of the account.  

You can make a Stone Soup at ABA Conference

This project is designed to engage younger people in our field and the Section.  If you see them at the conference, please introduce yourself and make them feel welcome.  You will be able to recognize them as they will have special ribbons on their nametags

Stone Soup: How to make the most in a Continuing Education Program

I think that one of the best questions is about the problems that participants experience in their work.  This is a great question to ask at the beginning of a program because it can help presenters relate the material throughout the event to participants’ own experiences.  

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