An investigation into the nature and role of non-settled ADR in the English civil justice system

Ever since the emergence of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the 1970s as a set of formal dispute resolution mechanisms and the profound impact of Professor Sander’s seminal lecture at the Pound Conference in which he proposed that ADR should be utilised to reduce reliance on conventional litigation, established civil justice systems have sought to integrate ADR mechanisms within their court procedures. Indeed, in their recent report Transforming Our Justice System, the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Chief Justice and the Senior President of Tribunals spoke of a new approach in simplifying court procedure which will be “designed to promote more conciliatory approaches to dispute resolution…” over expensive advaserialism.