AAA-ICDR Successful Diversity Initiatives
By Mansi Karol and Jeffrey T. Zaino
As part of the AAA-ICDR's continuing effort to expand diversity on the Panel of arbitrators and mediators, the AAA-ICDR collaborated with the Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA) through sponsorship of the MCCA's annual meeting and presentation of an ADR program for its members. The AAA-ICDR also assisted with the conception of a new organization, the ADR Inclusion Network, which focuses on promoting diversity in the ADR community. Two AAA-ICDR staff are proud founding members of the ADR Inclusion Network.
The AAA-ICDR also continued to emphasize diversity in its recruitment of arbitrators and mediators. Executives across every division of the organization actively recruited women and minority candidates who met the criteria established for the AAA-ICDR's panels. As a result, in 2017, the AAA added 78 new women and minority candidates to its Roster. As part of its recruitment efforts, the AAA-ICDR continues to build coalitions and participate in events with national, minority, and local bar associations and law schools around the country in order to provide training and create opportunities for diverse practitioners. Among the initiatives launched in 2017 is a joint recruitment initiative with the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms (NAMWOLF) to recruit their members for inclusion on the AAA-ICDR's Roster. The AAA-ICDR also successfully partnered with the National Bar Association (NBA) to provide training and recruitment opportunities to its members, which resulted in several of its members being invited to apply to the AAA-ICDR's Roster. Another area of focus was on providing diverse lists of proposed arbitrators to parties on cases and prioritizing diversity in the selection of speakers for the AAA-ICDR's educational programs. Among the cases facilitated by the AAA-ICDR in 2017, 25% of them were managed by diverse panels.