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Look out Judge Wapner. The People's Court may not be the only alternative to the slow and expensive U.S. court system. Arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), a negotiation method used by lawyers and common folk alike, is catching on as a quicker and less expensive means of settling disputes. Harvard Law professor Roger Fisher attempted to teach an audience of about 70 how to employ these methods during his speech yesterday afternoon at the Law School. The first step, he said, is identifying the problem. Then, he said the arbitrator must establish good relationships with both disputing parties and determine what each would want from a settlement. The Harvard professor said arbitrators need to make sure the needs of both parties are met. He added that effective negotiation requires fair concessions. "If we want to change [our opposition's] choice, we want to know what [they] want," Fisher said. He warned the audience to try to make any settlement decision fair and appealing to both sides. "Is it the best agreement we can reach?" Fisher said mediators should ask themselves. Fisher, who has dealt with international conflict as both a strategist and advisor for 30 years, shared personal anecdotes showing how he has employed these methods. These negotiation and mediation methods reach "where litigation is not a possibility," he said. Lawyers, judges, law professors and University Law students all attended the lecture yesterday. David Fournier, a lawyer with Pepper, Hamilton and Scheetz, said he valued the opportunity to learn about the new method. "I came because [I was] interested in the negotiation aspect of lecture series," he said. First-year Law student Rinny Karlin said he was particularly impressed with Fisher. "I think what he has to say is important because, although negotiating should be intuitive, parties have a tendency to operate with blinders on, failing to recognize the importance of understanding the motivations impelling the other side," he said.

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