National ADR Organizations Unite to Launch First Virtual ADR Fair Focused on Expanding Career Pathways into Conflict Resolution
Early Career Alternative Dispute Resolution Network (ECADRN), the Ray Corollary Initiative, Cornell University's Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution, and the American Arbitration Association announce a first-of-its-kind national initiative designed to strengthen awareness, expand access, and build clearer career pathways into Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
Four Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) organizations have joined together to launch a first-of-its-kind national initiative designed to strengthen awareness, expand access, and build clearer career pathways into the ADR profession.
The Early Career ADR Network (ECADRN), in collaboration with the Ray Corollary Initiative (RCI), Cornell University's Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution (Cornell ILR School), and the American Arbitration Association (AAA), today announced the inaugural Virtual ADR Fair: Mapping the ADR Landscape—From Curiosity to Career, a free national educational event that will bring together organizations from across the ADR profession to help students, career changers, early-career professionals, andaspiring neutrals better understand and navigate the many pathways into ADR.
Why This Matters
As demand for conflict resolution services continues to grow, the ADR profession — which includes mediators, arbitrators, ombuds, neutral investigators, facilitators, and other conflict resolution professionals—is entering an important period of opportunity. In certain areas of ADR, many experienced neutrals are nearing retirement, while aspiring professionals often struggle to understand how to enter the field. Career pathways are spread across numerous organizations, academic institutions, and training providers, making it difficult for newcomers to see the profession as a connected ecosystem.
The Virtual ADR Fair was created to help bridge that gap by bringing organizations from across the ADR profession together in one accessible, collaborative event that makes career pathways more visible, connected, and easier to navigate.
A National Initiative
The Virtual ADR Fair represents a shared commitment to strengthen awareness, expand access, and create clearer career pathways for the next generation of conflict resolution professionals.
More than a single event, the Fair reflects a collaborative effort to help make the ADR profession more visible, connected, and accessible by bringing together organizations that share a common goal: helping future professionals discover, understand, and navigate the many pathways into conflict resolution.
The Early Career ADR Network (ECADRN) serves as the convener of the Virtual ADR Fair, bringing together organizations, educators, practitioners, and institutions around a shared commitment to strengthen awareness of ADR careers and create more visible, connected career pathways into the profession.
As a national nonprofit dedicated to supporting emerging ADR professionals, ECADRN works to connect people, organizations, and resources that help make careers in conflict resolution more accessible and easier to navigate.
The Ray Corollary Initiative (RCI) is a national nonprofit dedicated to expanding opportunities within the ADR profession by promoting broader access and greater utilization of talented neutrals from diverse professional and life experiences.
The Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution at Cornell University's ILR School serves as the Fair's Host University Partner. Partner. Partner. A recognized leader in conflict resolution education, research, and practice, the Institute is providing the Zoom Events platform and helping connect students, educators, practitioners, and ADR organizations from across the country.
The American Arbitration Association (AAA), the world's largest not-for-profit provider of ADR services, brings decades of leadership in mediation, arbitration, and conflict resolution. Its participation in this collaborative initiative helps expand awareness of the profession while strengthening career pathways for future ADR professionals.
Together, these organizations represent complementary strengths across the ADR profession. By working collaboratively, they are helping make career pathways into ADR more visible, accessible, and connected while inspiring the next generation of
conflict resolution professionals to explore, enter, and help shape the future of the field.
What Participants Will Experience
The Virtual ADR Fair offers a unique opportunity to explore the breadth of today's ADR profession, all in one free, virtual event.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
- Hear a keynote address from Professor Homer La Rue, Chair of the Ray Corollary Initiative, on the future of the ADR profession.
- Explore live breakout sessions hosted by professional associations, ADR providers, academic institutions, and training organizations.
- Meet experienced practitioners and organizational leaders while asking questions and learning about real-world career pathways.
- Visit the Virtual Exhibit Hall to discover additional resources, programs, and opportunities across the ADR community.
- Access a post-event digital resource library featuring session recordings and presentation materials for continued learning.
Whether you're a student, an early-career professional, a career changer, or an experienced practitioner exploring new opportunities, the Virtual ADR Fair is designed to help you better understand the people, organizations, and pathways that make up today's ADR landscape.
Why Organizations Should Participate
The Virtual ADR Fair offers organizations a unique opportunity to engage with the next generation of ADR professionals while demonstrating their commitment to helping shape the future of the profession. By participating, organizations can showcase
Registration is now open for organizations interested in exhibiting or sponsoring the Virtual ADR Fair. Registration for students and other attendees will open in September. Organizations interested in participating are encouraged to reserve their space early and become part of this national collaborative effort to expand awareness of ADR careers. Register here.
Meet the Voices Behind the Virtual ADR Fair
Leaders from the collaborating organizations shared why they believe this initiative is important and what they hope it will accomplish for the future of the ADR profession.
Jane Hyman — Why It Matters
President
Early Career ADR Network (ECADRN)
Alternative Dispute Resolution has the power to change lives, yet too many people simply don't know the opportunities that exist within our profession. Our hope is that the Virtual ADR Fair helps people see not only the many career paths available, but also the meaningful impact they can have by helping others resolve conflict with understanding, dignity, and respect.
Hanni Wiegand — Our Vision
Chair
Early Career ADR Network (ECADRN)
The Virtual ADR Fair was created to make career pathways into ADR more visible, accessible, and connected. By bringing organizations together in one place, we're helping people discover opportunities they may never have known existed.
Jeffrey T. Zaino — Collaboration Across the Profession
Vice President of ADR Services
Veritext Legal Solutions
The strength of the ADR profession has always been its willingness to collaborate, learn from one another, and work toward better outcomes. The Virtual ADR Fair brings organizations together around a shared purpose, strengthening our profession by making it easier for the next generation to discover the many opportunities ADR has to offer.
Katrina Nobles — Education & Career Pathways
Director of Programs, Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution, ILR School at Cornell University
professional organizations in one place, the Virtual ADR Fair helps bridge the gap between learning about ADR and becoming part of the profession. I'm excited to see so many organizations working together to support the next generation of neutrals no matter what stage of their career journey they may be in.
J. Christopher Heagarty — Why RCI Supports the Virtual ADR Fair
Chief Executive Officer
Ray Corollary Initiative
At the Ray Corollary Initiative (RCI), we believe that strengthening the ADR profession requires collaboration across organizations and a commitment to developing a deep and diverse pool of future practitioners. We're proud to support the Virtual ADR Fair because it helps to remove the obstacles and barriers many experience as they start out exploring the many paths available within ADR.
One Shared Vision
Although each collaborating organization brings a unique perspective to the ADR profession, they share one common belief: that making career pathways into ADR more visible, accessible, and connected strengthens not only the profession itself, but also the communities it serves.
Together, they believe that by helping more people discover, enter, and thrive in conflict resolution careers, we strengthen the profession's ability to help individuals, families, workplaces, businesses, and communities resolve conflict with understanding, dignity, and respect.
About ECADRN
The Early Career ADR Network (ECADRN) is a national nonprofit dedicated to creating a more inclusive, accessible, and widely recognized field of ADR (ADR). ECADRN supports emerging professionals by offering centralized tools, mentorship, and a supportive network to launch and thrive in ADR. Learn more about ECADRN here.
About the Ray Corollary Initiative
The Ray Corollary Initiative (RCI) is a nonprofit committed to utilizing all of the available talent in dispute resolution. The mission of RCI is to encourage ADR providers and selectors to increase the utilization of neutrals with wide-ranging work and life experiences, while maintaining the parties’ autonomy to make the selection decision. Learn more about RCI here.
About the Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution at Cornell ILR School
The Martin and Laurie Scheinman Institute on Conflict Resolution is the preeminent institute in the world focused on workplace conflict. The mission of the Scheinman Institute is to study the causes of workplace conflict, develop methods and cultures for managing it, and provide education and training to help individuals and organizations navigate workplace conflict. Learn more about the Scheinman Institute here.
About the American Arbitration Association
The not-for-profit American Arbitration Association® (AAA®) is the world’s largest provider of ADR (ADR) services, supporting businesses, public institutions, and individuals worldwide. Learn more about the AAA here.