By: Kendal Enz

The New York legal community gathered December 12, 2023 at the American Arbitration Association® (AAA®) offices in Midtown New York City and online Tuesday for a panel discussion hosted by the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) on the role of artificial intelligence in arbitration and mediation. Panelists, including Diana Didia, senior vice president and chief innovation officer at the AAA-International Center for Dispute Resolution®, shared their insights into this rapidly evolving technology’s potential benefits and pitfalls.

In his introduction

By: Svetlana Gitman, Vice President, AAA-ICDR^® Commercial Division

When faced with a disagreement that needs resolution, finding the right arbitrator is pivotal. Yet choosing the right arbitrator requires more than just picking a name from a list—it requires strategic thinking and careful consideration of various factors. A common scenario where attorneys ask their colleagues for feedback on particular individuals is not sufficient; however, asking

By: Lance Tanaka, Vice President, AAA^® Commercial Division

The cannabis industry has gravitated toward using arbitration to resolve its disputes. Because some jurisdictions do not recognize authority over disputes in this field, accessing justice in court for cannabis-industry parties continues to be a challenge.

Cannabis

Named after Charlotte E. Ray, the first Black woman to be admitted to a bar in the U.S., the Ray Corollary Initiative (RCI), Inc. aims “to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion [DEI] in the selection of arbitrators, mediators, and other ADR neutrals” to 30% diverse and offers a plan to do so.

To this end, three categories of those associated with alternative dispute resolution are asked to sign the RCI pledge to do their parts to increase the number of diverse