July 13-19, 2007

Stradley Ronon partner Bennett G. Picker was quoted throughout this article regarding the growing popularity of alternative dispute resolution in recent years.

“It really blew up,” Picker said. “People realized it's faster, cheaper and provides real-time solutions.”

Picker said the biggest change in ADR in recent years is the advent of interest-based solutions, which go beyond winning and losing. For instance, if a bank sues a software company over a faulty system, a neutral can get the two sides to sit down and hash out their differences and set business goals for the future.

“You would be amazed at what sitting down face to face can do,” Picker said. “You get to see why the other side feels the way that they do and solve things.”