Updated March 22, 2022
Despite long-standing discussion about how to increase diversity in the ranks of neutrals, there is an absence of quantifiable data about the demographic profile of mediators and arbitrators chosen by insurers and lawyers. The absence of this critical data point makes increasing diversity and inclusiveness among mediators and arbitrators difficult. Most everyone agrees there needs to be more diversity, but we lack data to measure the problem and any progress we hope to make. DRI’s ADR Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Initiative seeks to increase the appointment of mediators and arbitrators in underrepresented demographic categories.
Problem Statement: Lack of an appropriate utilization rate of dissimilar third-party neutrals from different gender, racial, and ethnic backgrounds undermines efforts for more diversity and inclusion among legal services
providers for insurance companies.
Initiative Goal: Increase the number of appointments of underrepresented neutrals to create a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive ADR system.
Proposed Solution: Develop a benchmark database containing anonymous, aggregated data, hosted by DRI, to determine the number of underrepresented neutrals who are appointed. The benchmark database enables insurers, self-insureds, managing general agents (MGAs), and outside law firms to identify the national averages for appointments of underrepresented neutrals and how they are performing against those national averages. The anonymous, aggregated data will be available as an industry resource, but any individual data will only be available privately to that organization.
Email DRILawPubPolicy@dri.org to join the initiative.
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