If you choose mediation, you probably will have to attend meetings. If you use arbitration, you probably will have to appear for hearings. Some programs begin with mediation and, if no decision can be reached, progress to arbitration. Other programs resolve disputes on the basis of written submissions, without your needing to appear at meetings or hearings. You then can choose who will help you settle the dispute.
Some states have specific requirements for neutrals.
Ask the program administrators for the ethics rules. Most programs make sure that neutrals are not personally involved in the dispute and will not benefit from the resolution. If you use a dispute resolution program that begins with mediation and, if needed, proceeds to arbitration, try to avoid using the same person to act as mediator and arbitrator. Find out if the program guarantees confidentiality. To get a sense of the program's neutrality, ask who pays for it.