Alternative dispute resolution (or “ADR”) actually describes a whole range of mechanisms available to settle conflicts without going through the time and expense of a formal lawsuit.  Two of the more prominent ADR mechanisms are mediation and arbitration.

These tools have been around for a long time, and historically were used primarily to resolve labor-management disputes.  Recently, though, with courts becoming more and more congested, these methods have been used increasingly as alternatives to litigation in just about every type of legal conflict.