An arbitrator or mediator also should be someone with sufficient experience to command the respect of the parties and their lawyers. If, after selecting a person to hear the dispute, a party to the dispute genuinely believes that the mediator or arbitrator has shown bias, has a conflict of interest, or lacks the skills or experience necessary to mediate the case, he or she should voice the concern. There is a wide range of ADR providers with varying levels of specialization, expertise, ability, and quality. The kind of ADR provider appropriate to a particular dispute depends on the kind of dispute, the parties, how much money is involved, the level of expertise necessary to handle a matter, and how far the parties are into the dispute. Some ADR providers offer dispute resolution services for specific kinds of disputes, such as large, multi-party disputes.
Some providers have special areas of expertise, such as environmental dispute resolution.
The costs of ADR vary depending on the type of dispute, the type of ADR process chosen, and the experience and expertise of the ADR provider. Because California dispute resolution programs use a portion of the court fees collected by California courts, there is usually no charge for their ADR services. The costs of for-profit ADR providers vary depending upon the experience and expertise of the provider chosen. Some ADR providers charge an hourly rate, while others charge a flat fee for handling an entire matter from initiation to resolution. Even if an ADR provider charges a substantial hourly rate, using ADR often resolves a dispute quickly, saving time and money.