This program will provide a practical look at how healthcare business disputes are handled in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and how mediation and arbitration can be used effectively at various stages of litigation.

Drawing on judicial and industry perspectives, the program examines when ADR works, when it does not, and what judges, parties, and neutrals expect from the process, with particular focus on the federal court’s ADR framework and the American Health Law Association’s ADR program.

Topics to be discussed include:

• The federal court’s ADR requirements and the court’s role in early and effective intervention
• The American Health Law Association’s (AHLA) ADR program, including the types of cases it handles as well as the benefits of utilizing ADR through the AHLA
• Types of cases amenable to ADR and common barriers to effective ADR
• The use of mid-litigation orders for ADR
• Voluntary versus court-facilitated ADR
• Potential conflicts of interest between in-house and outside counsel
• Mediator and arbitrator requirements for disclosure and approval to serve