Process Improvements Standardize Longstanding AAA Practices, and Revise Rules to Generate Further Efficiencies and Reflect Advances in Technology

NEW YORK, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution^® (AAA-ICDR^®) announces that significant amendments have been made to the AAA Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures.

The updates to the arbitration rules, effective September 1, 2022, focus on process improvements in key areas, including technology, speed, economy, security, and privacy. The amended rules are the result of a two-year initiative by an internal AAA working group, with contributions from the AAA's case management and administrative groups, party surveys, and arbitrators, as well as the AAA-ICDR Council's Law and Practice and LLC Committees.

"The goals of our commercial arbitration rules—to ensure parties achieve a resolution to their disputes through an orderly, economical, and expeditious process—are the same as when these rules were first drafted 72 years ago," said Robert Matlin, Esq., Senior Vice President of the AAA's Commercial and Construction Divisions. "Our amended rules address the technology advancements which can make the arbitration process more streamlined and cost-effective—and standardize them, to continue to ensure the integrity, security, and confidentiality of our procedures."

The 2022 amendments to the AAA Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures ("the Rules") involve:

• Consolidation—The AAA has instituted its first-ever commercial rule to consolidate existing arbitrations or the joinder of additional parties.
• Confidentiality—The reinforcement of the longstanding requirements in the AAA Code of Ethics for Arbitrators, by including a commitment by AAA Staff and arbitrators to the confidentiality of arbitration in the Commercial Arbitration Rules.
• Conduct of Parties & Their Representatives—The AAA's expectations of civility and professionalism of all participants in arbitrations have been specifically incorporated into the Rules.
• Providing Arbitrators with the Authority to Interpret Awards—The AAA has drawn on the recently adopted ICDR article allowing the arbitrator to explain the award on a party's motion.
• Importance of Cybersecurity, Privacy & Data Protection—Reflecting the importance the AAA places on the safety and security of user and case information, the Rules recommend that the parties and the arbitrator discuss data protection during the preliminary hearing.

To read a more detailed explanation of the 2022 amendments to the AAA Commercial Arbitration Rules and Mediation Procedures, click here.

The not-for-profit American Arbitration Association^® (AAA) is the leading provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services for parties in commercial disputes, having administered more than seven million ADR cases since its founding in 1926. With 29 offices in the United States, in addition to Singapore, the AAA provides organizations of all sizes in virtually every industry with ADR services and products. For more information, visit www.adr.org.

The International Centre for Dispute Resolution^® (ICDR^®) is the international division of the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and the largest international provider of dispute resolution services. Established in 1996, the ICDR serves parties from over 100 countries with multilingual staff experienced in international dispute resolution proceedings, and a roster of over 725 arbitrators and mediators. For more information, visit www.icdr.org.

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SOURCE American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution