This book is written for users of mediation, whether they be a party, an advisor or an expert. It should also be of help to commercial mediators who have no specialism in construction. Its aim is to encourage confidence in the mediation process and to ensure that those who do use mediation to resolve their disputes do so effectively and so are able to maximise the opportunities that mediation offers.

The application of construction dispute procedures has changed dramatically in the last decade. This has resulted in an increased use of Alternative Dispute Resolution in many countries, and mediation in particular. Construction is one of the major industries using mediation, in the UK and in many other countries such as the US, China, Australia and New Zealand. This expansion in mediation has been helped by encouragement from governments, although it takes diverse forms in different legal jurisdictions, for example: court rules to encourage this use (as in the US and UK); the courts’ own mediation schemes or programmes, or legislation-backed programmes; or the use of industry driven mediation clauses in standard form contracts. These developments have taken place extremely rapidly. They represent significant changes to the legal environment within which the international construction industry conducts its business but, to date, there has been little research on their impact. All these initiatives have inevitably led to a developing legal jurisprudence concerned with the validity of contract clauses or with providing statutory interpretation of the rules requiring or governing practice. This has important consequences for the construction industry because legal uncertainty increases the likelihood of dispute, which is not only costly for the disputants but can be damaging to national and global economies. This book identifies the emerging international practices within construction mediation, and seeks solutions to the many legal and commercial challenges which they pose. It presents an international collection of reviews by experts, and allows a comparative commentary on the practice of construction mediation and the legal challenges facing its development.

For graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in Dispute Resolution. This text addresses new and innovative ways to promote collaborative environments and resolve disputes in construction by emphasizing the different steps in the Dispute Resolution Ladder and spelling out the main features of a conflict management plan. It also includes some practical applications of Dispute Avoidance and Resolution Techniques in the construction industry throughout different cultures.

The value of mediation has been widely acknowledged worldwide, as shown by the number of jurisdictions in which the courts enforce obligations on parties to negotiate and adopt mediation to settle construction disputes. This book examines the expansion and development of court-connected construction mediation provisions across a number of jurisdictions, including the England and Wales, the USA, South Africa and Hong Kong. It includes contributions from academics and professionals in six different countries to produce a truly international comparative study, which is of high importance to construction managers as well as legal professionals.

This title works its way through the spectrum of dispute resolution techniques, negotiation, mediation and conciliation, expert determination, adjudication, arbitration, litigation and more.

"The challenges facing all members of the construction industry are enormous, but not unachievable... I am confident that the ACE Client Guide 2000 will help all members of the construction industry, whether consulting engineers, architects, surveyors, contractors and their clients, better understanding the challenges facing us and encourage appropriate actin to be taken" Jim Dawson, ACE Chairman 1999-2000. Providing an overview of the market, its structures and external influences, this invaluable guide will help members of the construction supply chain to understand their clients' business needs and equip them to invest appropriately for current and future market developments and take advantage of emerging opportunities. The ACE Client Guide 2000 has been prepared in the ligth of feedback on the first edition, which was published in November 1998, and developments both within the construction industry and in the wider economy over the past 12 months, the facts, perceptions, commentary and sources set out in the ACE Client Guide 2000 provide a basis for individual firms to examine: - What to do - Why they do it - How they do it - How well they do it - Where improvements could be made - How such improvements could be achieved

This book brings together over 40 papers presented at the 1992 International Construction Conflict Management & Resolution Conference held in Manchester, UK. Six themes are covered, including alternative dispute resolution, conflict management, claims procedures, litigation and arbitration, international construction, and education and the future. With papers from arbitrators, architects, barristers, civil engineers, chartered surveyors and solicitors, this book represents the first multi-disciplinary body of knowledge on Construction Conflict and will act as a unique source of reference for both legal and construction professionals.