Looking to mediate without a hassle? An association might have just the tool for you.

The American Arbitration Association recently came out with a new tool designed to help individuals and organizations draft “clear and effective mediation agreements,” according to a press release. AAA says the “ClauseBuilder” is the first tool of its kind to come from an alternative dispute resolution services provider.

What does it do? ClauseBuilder provides the parties to a dispute with the building blocks of a resolution: AAA’s standard arbitration agreement, plus variables that go into many clauses—such as number of arbitrators, qualifications, locale provisions, governing law, the duration of arbitration and whether to use arbitration, mediation, or both in the proceedings.

“A well-written dispute resolution clause is the foundation of an effective dispute resolution process,” India Johnson, AAA’s executive vice president, said in a release. The tool “translates into an efficient dispute resolution process that saves time and money.”

How did it come about? Developing the ClauseBuilder didn’t happen overnight. To get there, AAA listened to their customers—from participating parties to attorneys and other companies—to figure out what would work best and what their clients really needed. The association promises to improve the tool as feedback comes in and to develop other kinds of contracts to serve all their clients.

Why it matters: Listening to feedback from clients helped the association develop a tool that they believe will please all parties involved.

What’s on your association’s wish list? Is there a tool that could help your members do their jobs better? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.

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