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www.canadianlawyermag.com 19 What's more, for ADR Chambers, Stitt says the ability to offer mediators from almost anywhere has only enhanced the firm's repu- tation as one of the largest private alterna- tive dispute resolution services in the world, administering over 55,000 mediations and arbitrations since 2012. "People come to us because they know we have a roster of experienced and knowledgeable people," he says, "or they know we have a particular mediator that they want to use." The growing comfort level with remote hearings means that ADR Chambers can draw from an even bigger pool of world- class mediators. "Part of my role is to go through the many calls I get from people who want to join ADR chambers and vet them to make sure they are the best people out there," Stitt adds. developing an operating system that allows clients to track Lormit's efforts in filing and delivering documents. "They know when attempts were made, what happened, and it's all in real time and done through a secure web link." He says this real-time aspect is what firms want. "Information is what our legal clients need so that they can communicate with their own clients about where things stand. It's all about reliability and transparency." Traditional suppliers are changing For decades, alternative dispute resolution services such as arbitration and mediation have been helping clients settle disputes without having the matter tried by a judge. However, Allan Stitt, president and CEO of Toronto- based ADR Chambers, one of the winners in the Readers' Choice ADR Mediation Chambers category, says things have changed drastically since the COVID-19 pandemic. "We still have facilities to conduct media- tion sessions in person," says Stitt. "We can certainly accommodate that. But the reality is mediators are going wherever the parties want them to go." He explains that the pandemic has funda- mentally changed the way mediation sessions are conducted, and even though people may feel more comfortable getting together in person, the convenience of virtual hearings speaks loudly. "There has been enough experience now to show that settlement rates for mediations done via Zoom are no different than settle- ment rates from in-person meetings," he adds. And while there may be pros and cons, the convenience and lesser expense of remote hearings are driving factors to go virtual. "There has been enough experience now to show that settlement rates for mediations done via Zoom are no different than settlement rates from in-person meetings" Allan Stitt, ADR Chambers WHICH PRACTICE AREAS HAVE BENEFITED MOST FROM LEGAL TECHNOLOGY/INNOVATION? (0 = least challenging, 9 = most challenging) Source: Canadian Legal Innovation Forum Survey 2022 Corporate Commercial Disputes Real estate Banking and finance Intellectual property Tax Labour and employment Regulatory 0 1 3 5 7 2 4 6 8 9