For the first time, dispute resolution isn t really an alternative the courts don t work online, so dispute resolution is often the default. In response, demand for ADR services online is growing rapidly. If the ADR field is hesitant to provide them, many outsiders won t hesitate to rush into the space.
Many observers believe transactions online soon reach into the trillions of dollars in value.
These transactions will generate disputes, and particularly complicated ones at that. They will likely be conflicts that are over complex issues, transboundary in nature, multicultural, and between people who have never met each other. Translating our offline ADR skills online is a formidable challenge. As we get comfortable with online communication we need to learn what we can and cannot do through our keyboards. The ADR field should fully engage the challenges brought on by technology so that we can best meet the demand for these types of services.