Early, Economical, Principled Dispute Resolution

Early Dispute Resolution or "EDR" is the EDR Institute’s comprehensive 4-step process for quickly and economically resolving disputes.  It is reflected in the Institute’s EDR Protocols, which draw on the best thinking from multiple disciplines to analyze risk, assess settlement value, and negotiate a principled resolution. Using the EDR Process, most disputes can be resolved within 30 to 60 days.

The EDR Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting EDR and training advocates and neutrals on the EDR Process. Neutrals and advocates who take the Institute’s training are able to meet their clients’ demands for innovative dispute solutions and to slash the time and expense of litigation.

The Protocols

Under the Protocols, EDR is a process, not a one-day event. The process overcomes initial mistrust and biases, allows counsel to receive sufficient information to value the case, and grounds settlement expectations and negotiations on a realistic case assessment and risk analysis.

The Protocols have specific ethical standards necessary for the process to work and detail a four-step process: (i) simplifying the case, (ii) allowing for exchange of limited information and documents that counsel need to value the case, (iii) undertaking a risk analysis to encourage realistic settlement exchanges, and (iv) engaging in principled negotiation through sequential, virtual caucusing to reach resolution.

Initiating the EDR Process

The EDR Process helps parties resolve any type of dispute if both parties are committed in good faith to seeking an early, economical, and principled resolution. 

To initiate the EDR Process, the parties should agree to use the Protocols as guidelines to resolve their dispute and retain an EDR Neutral trained in the Protocols to facilitate the process.

Testimonials

  • "In my courtroom, we’ve learned to identify quite early on good candidates for EDR, and our EDR-trained neutrals have resolved 90+% of them at low cost to the parties and without intense resource expenditure by the court. It’s been a boon to us, the docket, and the public.”

    Hon. Stephen Murphy Federal District Court Southern District of Michigan, Eastern Division

  • "The Early Dispute Resolution Institute solves my biggest challenge in doing over 5,000 mediations. That challenge is for lawyers and their clients to fully embrace that ending a fight early is far better than fighting to the bitter end. Spending more time, money, and stress for years does not produce better outcomes—EDR does. The clarity and results offer a much-needed gift to the profession, and more importantly, to the clients. Peter Silverman, Anne Jordan, and Michael Hawash take dispute resolution to the next and much-needed level."

    Sam Ardery, Bunger & Robertson

  • “EDR is an innovative dispute resolution process that combines well thought out protocols with practical use of decision tree analytical tools. It’s something every neutral should know how to use. With the EDR Institute/AAA training, I feel prepared to face the coming trend.”

    Theo Chang, AAA Arbitrator and Master Mediator, Adjunct Professor NYU Law School and Fellow, College of Commercial Arbitrators

  • "Anne, Michael and Peter showed me how EDR works, enhancing my ability to be a more effective mediator by getting faster results and dramatically reducing litigation costs."

    Stanley Santire, Chair of Houston Bar Association ADR Section 

  • “I found the EDR training to be extremely worthwhile. I was immediately able to implement EDR processes into my practice and help parties avoid wasting time, money and resources.”

    Felicia T. Farber, Esq.
    FARBER RESOLUTIONS LLC

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