Agreeing in principle to provide for arbitration, mediation or other dispute resolution procedures in a contract should be just the start, and not end of thoughtful drafting and negotiation.

Yet lawyers often just “cut and paste” the dispute resolution sections from earlier contracts, without assessing how well that particular clause fits the new contract, or how even seemingly minor or “boilerplate” language in dispute resolution clauses can significantly impact the duration and cost of proceedings, and even determine the outcome of disputes.

Corporate lawyers who negotiate these agreements -- and litigators who have handled hundreds of disputes -- will explain how you can select contract provisions that will work for your client and suit the particular deal, and why many commonly “cut and  pasted” dispute resolution provisions may produce unwelcome surprises when applied to actual disputes.