Coalition Provides New Options for Mediation and Dispute Review Boards to Resolve Disputes Efficiently

SAN FRANCISCO – December 11, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — Today, the ConsensusDocs Coalition is announcing a new tool to effectively address alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the design and construction industry. Guided Choice is a new approach to mediation for a more active and holistic approach role for a mediator to actively guide parties towards resolution. ConsensusDocs is now including information on how to implement Guided Choice in the ConsensusDocs Guidebook, and is educating users on the process at its 2nd annual Construction SuperConference Workshop being conducted today in San Francisco, Calif. The American Arbitration Association (AAA) will honor requests from the parties to use the Guided Choice process in AAA administer mediation through arbitration.

Like the recently published ConsensusDocs Dispute Review Board Addendum documents, endorsed by the Dispute Review Board Foundation (DRBF), Guided Choice mediation provides a relatively new and effective ADR method that ConsensusDocs is integrating as a flexible option in its library of over 100+ standard contract documents.

“While most disputes settle, that happens so late that substantial legal and expert costs are incurred. Guided Choice mediation is a concrete step to reduce the cost of resolving construction disputes to achieve better and earlier settlements,” comments the pioneer of the Guided Choice concept, Paul Lurie, Schiff Hardin, Chicago, Ill.

ConsensusDocs are the only consensus standard contracts written by a coalition of 40 design and construction industry associations. ConsensusDocs remains committed to keeping a project-first philosophy mission with contracts that are written in plain English, incorporate best practices, and address emerging trends. For more information, visit www.ConsensusDocs.org.

Contact: Carrie Ciliberto

703.837.5367