AAA-ICDR® Rises to the Challenge, Having Held 10,000+ Virtual Hearings Since the Beginning of the Pandemic

NEW YORK, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution^® (AAA-ICDR) has consistently served as a reliable provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. This is due in large part to the organization's significant investment in smart videoconferencing technology, which enabled arbitration and mediation hearings to be held seamlessly in person or virtually. As a result, from March 1, 2020 through April 30, 2021, the AAA-ICDR held 10,493 total virtual events as part of the ADR process for resolving cases.

During the time frame, 5,902 cases administered by the AAA-ICDR had at least one virtual event. The AAA-ICDR facilitated virtual events for cases involving a total of $15.99 billion in claims and counterclaims throughout that period of just over a year.

The vast majority of AAA-ICDR-organized virtual events for cases between March 1, 2020 and April 30, 2021 were evidentiary hearings (8,429), but preliminary hearings (1,015), mediation sessions (937), pre-mediation conferences (105), and settlement conferences (seven) were also held virtually during that time. For more information, please visit https://go.adr.org/virtual-hearing-statistics.html.

"The AAA-ICDR can be trusted in times of crisis to provide uninterrupted ADR service and resolutions to ensure disputes can move steadily toward a fair, equitable conclusion," said Diana Didia, Chief Information and Innovation Officer of the AAA-ICDR. "When the court system began experiencing massive backlogs in the wake of the pandemic, the AAA-ICDR was ready thanks to our embrace of technology enabling virtual hearings years before 'social distancing' and 'COVID' entered the national lexicon. We are proud that we are positioned to make sure hearings in ADR cases can be held on schedule, regardless of whether all parties can attend in person."

The AAA-ICDR recently adopted a smart multi-camera system as part of its commitment to offering in-person and virtual ADR service, or a hybrid of the two, depending on the preferences of the parties involved. This hands-free solution—in which all camera movement and switching are automatically activated by the voice of the speaker—allows arbitrators, witnesses, and other parties who are not present at hearings in person, or who are in different rooms due to social distancing requirements, to follow along and engage remotely. Up to seven cameras can be positioned in one room as needed, and the system works in conjunction with automatic tracking cameras, installed by the AAA-ICDR, which follow active speakers around a room based on voice detection.

This enhanced videoconferencing technology has been installed at the AAA-ICDR's New York City Midtown location, a hub for international and domestic arbitration, and will soon be installed at additional AAA-ICDR hearing facilities.

To learn more about virtual ADR hearings, please visit https://go.adr.org/covid-19-virtual-hearings.html.  

About the American Arbitration Association
The not-for-profit American Arbitration Association (AAA) is the leading provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services for parties in commercial disputes, having administered more than six million ADR cases since its founding in 1926. With 26 offices in the United States, in addition to Mexico, Singapore, and Bahrain, the AAA provides organizations of all sizes in virtually every industry with ADR services and products. For more information, visit www.adr.org.

About the International Centre for Dispute Resolution
The International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) is the international division of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the largest international provider of dispute resolution services. Established in 1996, the ICDR serves parties from over 100 countries with multilingual staff experienced in international dispute resolution proceedings, and a roster of over 725 arbitrators and mediators. For more information, visit www.icdr.org.

SOURCE American Arbitration Association