Organization
What is CPR?
The CPR Institute is a nonprofit think tank established as the Center for Public Resources in 1979. It serves as a global resource for corporations and legal counsel seeking best practices in conflict management and resolution of complex business-related disputes.
What is CPR’s mission?
To spearhead innovation and promote excellence in public and private dispute resolution and to serve as a primary multinational resource for avoidance, management and resolution of complex commercial disputes.
How does CPR fulfill its mission?
As a pioneer in the field of alternative dispute resolution, CPR convenes leading practitioners, corporate counsel, law firm attorneys, members of the judiciary and internationally known academics in the field, who are dedicated to advancing ADR in their particular industries and areas of concentration. CPR creates new protocols, procedures and rules for industries and offers a networking and professional development platform to advocate the use of mediation, arbitration and other alternatives to litigating business disputes. In addition, for CPR Members Only, CPR maintains Distinguished Panels of Neutrals, who are particularly qualified to handle complex disputes. When called upon, CPR also acts as an appointing authority.
What is CPR’s vision for its future?
CPR is committed to instilling an enduring commitment to dispute prevention, management and resolution among businesses, institutions and citizens around the world. As a result, CPR will expand its reach across industries and geographic borders to become the global leader in promoting innovation in commercial dispute resolution.
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The ADR Pledge
What is the CPR Pledge and why is it important?
The
CPR Pledge is an undertaking that states that the endorsing companies and law firms will consider alternatives to litigation when disputes arise with other signatories. It has been signed by more than 4,000 corporations - representing more than two-thirds of the U.S gross national product – and more than 1,500 law firms, including 400 of the nation’s 500 largest firms. The CPR Pledge does not create judicially enforceable rights or obligations, nor does it constitute a waiver of any substantive or procedural right or obligation. The Pledge is a statement of policy and intent, aimed at encouraging greater use of flexible, creative and constructive dispute-resolving approaches.
Why should my company sign the CPR Pledge?
The Pledge benefits signatories by signaling their mutual willingness to approach the resolution of disputes in constructive, reliable, and commercially rational ways that give them maximum control over the process, the outcome, and related costs. The Pledge gives businesses and their attorneys much greater flexibility and control in problem solving, rather than tying their hands contractually.
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What is Alternatives?
CPR’s award-winning newsletter, Alternatives, is a leading authoritative guide for the application of ADR at corporations, law firms and in the courts. The publication is an essential ADR reference tool highlighting cutting-edge dispute resolution trends and exploring new developments, tools and techniques. Its select readership comprises the upper echelon in the corporate and legal worlds.
How can I get a copy?
CPR Members receive one free subscription per firm/company and unlimited free electronic access. For details, click here. Bulk subscriptions are also available; contact Alternatives@cpradr.org for more information. For non-CPR members, annual subscriptions are available through Jossey-Bass subscriptions at 1.888.378.2537 or via e-mail here. The annual subscription price is $190 (U.S., Canada and Mexico) and USD $256 (International). Alternatives is also available in full text (issues since 1991) on Lexis and Westlaw.
Can my company/firm advertise in Alternatives?
CPR’s members and panelists may sponsor an entire issue or promote their services in Alternatives. You may download the media kit here. For more information, email Alternatives@cpradr.org.
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Training
Does CPR provide ADR skills training?
Yes. CPR’s training programs are designed to elevate and improve the ADR and legal skills of professional practitioners, primarily inside and outside counsel. They are led by acknowledged subject-matter experts, employ an interactive format, and provide practical understanding and application of ADR tactics.
Does CPR provide CLE credit?
Most of our trainings and Meetings offer CLE credit. The CPR Institute has been certified by the New York State Continuing Legal Education Board as an Accredited Provider of continuing legal education in the State of New York [July 14,2010 through July 13, 2013].
Do you offer customized training?
If you are looking to train your entire litigation team or a corporate group, CPR’s Customized Training is the perfect solution. CPR will customize the content and timing of our training programs to meet your professional development requirements and successfully addresses your business objectives. For more information, contact Helena Tavares Erickson at 1.646.753.8237 or at herickson@cpradr.org.
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Membership
Who are CPR's members?
CPR Institute’s elite membership includes General Counsel and senior lawyers of Fortune 1,000 corporations, attorneys in the top law firms around the world, as well as leading judges, government officials, neutrals, and academics.
How do I find out if my firm/company is a member?
A complete list of CPR's members can be found
here. Contact CPR's Membership Director, Terri Bartlett, at +1.646.753.8225 or via e-mail at tbartlett@cpradr.org.
How does CPR membership benefit me?
CPR is the only all-purpose resource for in-house lawyers seeking rigorous and sophisticated information on conflict management and resolution. We assist corporate lawyers and outside counsel in becoming better problem solvers, lowering litigation costs, and gaining better, more efficient results from utilizing ADR methods. We also help in-house attorneys maximize their outside counsel relationships. For law firms, CPR provides an unparalleled opportunity for firms to interact with their corporate counterparts and to learn more about what clients really seek from their outside counsel. CPR assists firms in analyzing and providing techniques, processes, and systems that will improve results for their clients.
How are my membership dollars spent?
Your membership dollars support the work of the CPR Institute and help create resources and services that promote commercial conflict prevention and resolution around the world.
How much does a CPR membership cost?
CPR offers levels of membership depending on the size of organization. Organizational membership benefits all attorneys at your company/firm. For one annual fee, every employee is offered equal access to membership benefits. Individual membership is also available. >more
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Meetings
Who attends CPR’s Meetings?
Drawing an elite community of leading business executives, CPR Meetings are widely recognized as the highest-level convening of ADR end users. Most attendees are corporate users of mediation, arbitration and other conflict management and dispute resolution processes, and the outside counsel who represent them. In addition, select ADR practitioners, judges, professors, and others attend CPR Meetings, thereby providing a richer discourse on mediation, arbitration, and other ADR strategies.
Why should I attend CPR Meetings?
- To gain valuable insight regarding current trends and practices in public and private dispute resolution.
- To address issues at the forefront of public interest and have access to executive-level discourse on mediation, arbitration, and other ADR strategies.
- To be at the forefront of innovative cutting-edge techniques and processes.
- To take advantage of superb networking opportunities with leading ADR practitioners and thought leaders from the legal and corporate communities.
- To contribute in a sophisticated and seasoned community of like-minded professionals dedicated to advancing ADR in their industries.
- To obtain CLE credits and to boost professional development.
How many meetings do you have each year and where are they held?
Typically, CPR convenes one major Meeting per year: The
CPR Annual Meeting in January in New York City. In addition, CPR hosts smaller, more intimate events that are focused on a specific area of interest or business topic.
Who are the faculty for the Meetings?
The faculty includes General Counsel and senior lawyers of Fortune 1,000 organizations, partners in the top law firms around the world, as well as leading judges, government officials, neutrals, and academics.
Do I need to be a member to attend your Meetings?
No. However, CPR membership entitles you to a deeply discounted registration fee.
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Committees
What is the purpose of CPR’s Committees?
CPR’s Committees
are product-oriented groups that meet to share newest developments in conflict management and dispute avoidance within various business contexts. Committees produce rules, books, studies, research results, statements of “best practices,” proposed industry protocols, or other products for use by attorneys and business executives.
How do I get involved in a CPR Committee?
Participation in committees is restricted to CPR members and invitees from the relevant ADR community. Some CPR Committees are “standing” and convene periodically; others are temporary and are dissolved after addressing a particular issue. If you are a member and are interested in serving on a committee, please contact info@cpradr.org.
How do you select the areas/industries of interest for a Committee?
The process is entirely member-driven. We regularly review our members’ needs and interests and establish committees based upon those criteria.
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Panels of Distinguished Neutrals
Who are CPR's Panelists?
CPR's Panels of Distinguished Neutrals comprise nearly 600 highly qualified mediators and arbitrators from around the world, including 100 retired state and federal judges. Focusing in more than 20 practice areas, CPR’s esteemed arbitrators and mediators have provided resolutions in thousands of cases, with billions of dollars at issue worldwide. They are particularly well-suited to resolve significant disputes involving major corporations, highly individualized conflicts in specialty areas, or issues of public sensitivity.
What are the qualifications for being on the panels?
CPR Membership status does not affect nor determine selections or appointment to CPR’s Panels of Distinguished Neutrals, nor does it influence case assignments. Placement on a CPR Panel occurs only after:
- the candidate is invited by CPR for consideration
- the candidate is screened for ADR experience and training
- the candidate is reviewed by the CPR Dispute Resolution Services Group and in certain areas a committee of peers
- the candidate’s references are asked to comment on applicant’s qualifications to serve on large complex business disputes
Who do I contact to join the panels?
To become a CPR Panelist, download an application from this page.
Are there regional or specialty panels?
Yes. In addition to the "Global" panelists from around the world, CPR has regional panelists in 36 states and the District of Columbia. We also have panels comprising current and former general counsel and former judges. We have specialized panels in:
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Arbitration Appeals
Banking, Accounting & Financial Services
BioTech
Certified Public Accountants
Construction
Cross Border Disputes
e-Discovery
Employment*
Energy, Oil & Gas
Entertainment
Environmental
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Franchise*
General Counsel
Health Care & Life Sciences
Insurance
Insurer-Policy Holder Coverage
Judicial
Sports Law
Taxation
Technology
Trademark/IP
U.S.-China Business Mediation
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*The CPR Employment and Franchise Panel are open to the public. The remaining CPR Panels are only accessible through membership.
How do I find a mediator or arbitrator without direct CPR assistance?
Rosters, names, locations of panelists, and biographical statements are available ONLY to CPR Members on the CPR website. Non-members may contact Olivier Andre by email or +1.646.753.8241. Once the parties agree on a neutral from CPR’s website, they may simply contact him/her directly without CPR's involvement. At that point, it becomes the neutral's responsibility to handle administrative matters in consultation with the parties.
Are there types of disputes that CPR will decline to handle?
Yes. As a matter of rank and file policy CPR ordinarily does not administer or assist in the selection of neutrals for ADR processes involving family law or consumer disputes. Corporate policies that name CPR for these purposes will be respectfully declined and inquirers will be directed to suitable ADR provider organizations.
How do you assure control, efficiency, flexibility, and innovation?
The parties are in complete control of the selection of a Neutral and only access CPR’s assistance upon request. The Neutral and parties can readily agree on sites, schedules and the like without the intervention of third-party administrative staff.
Parties maintain maximum ability to create an ADR process that suits their dispute, or amend it to meet their circumstances.
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Dispute Resolution Services
What are CPR's Dispute Resolution Services?
CPR maintains a world-class list of prospective neutrals and their resumes, categorized by, among other criteria, industry, practice-area, and expertise. CPR's Dispute Resolution Services Department is uniquely qualified to help you identify the right neutral with the particular expertise necessary for each situation utilizing our world class list.
How do I file a case with CPR?
Cases are not "filed" with CPR. Instead, as a leading proponent of self-administered ADR, we refer you to ADR Clauses & Rules for guidelines on commencing your own proceeding. However, CPR can assist parties/counsel with the selection of neutrals for their dispute. >more
How do I find a mediator or arbitrator using CPR’s assistance process?
If the parties to a dispute would like CPR's specialized assistance in identifying the right neutral for their case, contact Olivier Andre by email or +1.646.753.8241.
What is the CPR selection process?
- CPR works with counsel, or the parties, to develop a detailed profile of the qualifications and experience of the neutral/s needed.
- CPR searches its full database to identify neutrals who best meet the parties’ desired qualifications.
- CPR prepares a list of potential neutrals and immediately queries them to determine their availability, willingness to serve, and potential conflicts.
- Based on the responses received to its neutrals query, CPR provides counsel with a list of candidates who are conflict-free and available for the hearing calendar window the parties prefer. The list is submitted together with biographical information, hourly rates and disclosures. When parties cannot agree on a neutral from the list, they rank their preferences and CPR selects the nominee with the highest combined ranking.
- CPR notifies the selected panelist, who contacts counsel directly to begin the dispute resolution process.
How long does the selection process take?
Typically, all steps are completed and the Neutral is selected and assigned to the case within a month. Of course, in an emergency, the process can be completed even more quickly.
Will CPR assist the parties after selection of the Neutral?
CPR staff can assist parties and/or the Neutral should any unanticipated matter occur or should it become necessary to select a replacement neutral. This assistance includes processing challenges by a party to an already selected arbitrator. In addition, there may be some situations in which limited administration may be necessary for a particular case or case load.
How do you help eliminate unnecessary administrative charges?
No extra fees: Once the Neutral is selected, the parties pay only the Neutral's normal hourly rates. Administration of the process (like any legal administration) is assumed in the Panelist's normal time charges, unless s/he imposes a separate charge which is disclosed upfront. CPR normally charges no hearing fees.
Cost effective: One survey spanning five years indicates that 430 of the companies using CPR Panelists estimated legal cost savings totaling over $65 million, with an average cost savings of more than $152,000 per company. Although these figures are substantial, they are likely a fraction of overall cost savings resulting from CPR Panels activity because they represent only those cases where CPR was requested to assist in the selection of a Neutral.
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