TECHNOLOGY, ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION, AND THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY: THE FUTURE HAS ARRIVED (REALLY THIS TIME) By George H. Friedman*   Abstract Over twenty years ago, the author of this paper evaluated emerging technologies and predicted how they might impact alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”).[1]  Four years later, after the emergence of the internet, he updated his predictions…

Justin Bieber, Sunoco and Arbitration: How are they Possibly Connected?   by George Friedman*   Earlier this week came word that Justin Bieber and a photographer, who are embroiled in a law suit in Florida over an alleged assault on the photographer, are now arguing about whether the judge should direct the parties to submit…

Just Like Thanksgiving and Black Friday: Five Truisms about Arbitration — That Aren’t True  by George Friedman* The other day, I stumbled on a television show that debunked some commonly-held misperceptions about Thanksgiving. Who knew the Pilgrims didn’t wear black and white clothes and sport buckles? This got me to thinking about an article I…

The Elections are over: What it means for Consumer Arbitration Five things to look for in 2015 By George H. Friedman*   Back when I was Director of Arbitration at FINRA, we used to have a “Crystal Ball Contest” where the staff would weigh in on predictions for the coming year. I usually did pretty…

The Camel and the Last Straw or the Frog and the Boiling Water: Pick Your Parable By George H. Friedman* The current issue of the Securities Arbitration Commentator has as its lead story an article I wrote with the title above.  For those who don’t subscribe, here is the Reader’s Digest version.  Or maybe the…

Ten Things about Litigation that Arbitration Critics Won’t Tell You by George H. Friedman*  [republished from an earlier post] The recent uproar over General Mills’ decision to adopt and later retract a new policy by which consumers, by engaging in activities such as downloading a recipe, or participating in a contest, or “liking” the firm…

The recent uproar over General Mills’ decision to adopt and later retract a new policy by which consumers, by engaging in activities such as downloading a recipe, or participating in a contest, or “liking” the firm on Facebook, would unwittingly be agreeing to arbitrate, certainly refocused the spotlight on the prevalent use of mandatory, predispute arbitration in consumer transactions.

Ten Things about Litigation that Arbitration Critics Won’t Tell You by George H. Friedman*  The recent uproar over General Mills’ decision to adopt and later retract a new policy by which consumers, by engaging in activities such as downloading a recipe, or participating in a contest, or “liking” the firm on Facebook, would unwittingly be…

What do A-Rod, the NLRB, and General Mills have in Common?  The title of this post is not a riddle.  On Jeopardy! it would be the correct response to “They evidently read George Friedman’s blog at Arbitration Resolution Services.” Three times in recent months, I have blogged about the above cast of characters, and urged…

Enough is Enough:  Time to Eliminate the “Hidden Arbitration Clause Trick” “A day of reckoning is coming on predispute arbitration agreements in consumer arbitration.  A dichotomy is developing between arms-length pre-dispute arbitration agreements and those imposed in an adhesion contract with consumers (and perhaps employees). This will be addressed in the next several years by…

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