How to Join

Step 1: Submit the Applicable Agreement(s)

Each Agreement needs to be completed in its entirety with the exception of the subsidiary listing section. This section should only be completed if your organization intends on having more than one subsidiary participating in the same forum. In addition, the agreements MUST be signed by a corporate officer, senior-level executive, or an individual that has the authority to bind your organization to a nationwide contract. If the agreement is signed electronically, the digital signature must be backed by a digital certificate (e.g., Adobe Sign or DocuSign). The agreement is valid and binding from the date in which the agreement is signed.

Upon completion of the agreement, please forward a signed copy to the attention of membership@arbfile.org or send to:

Arbitration Forums, Inc.
Attn: Membership Services
3820 Northdale Boulevard, Suite 115
Tampa, Florida 33624

You may request membership information via membership@arbfile.org or call 1-866-977-3434.

Step 2: Submit Administration Forms

The next step is to provide information on who will be administering users at your company and where notifications will be sent. Completed forms must be emailed to membership@arbfile.org.

Security Administrators Form
Security administrators have a user designation that allows them to add, modify, and remove business units and users for their company. Regardless of the business unit to which they are assigned, administrators can control business units and users for the entire company. Security administrators can also specify company preferences related to their company's participation in AF's programs.

Global Authorization Form
Each member company must provide a global email address to which AF will send its notifications. Only an authorized officer of the member company may approve the process.

For Members Using Third-Party Administrators (TPAs)*
We set up TPAs with their own company code and dedicated security administrator. Should you wish to have a TPA file on your behalf, both a TPA Consent Form and a TPA Access Agreement must be completed and returned to membership@arbfile.org or

Arbitration Forums, Inc.
Attn: Membership Services
3820 Northdale Boulevard, Suite 115
Tampa, Florida 33624

Important Note: Both the consent form and access agreement MUST be signed by a corporate officer, senior level executive, or an individual that has the authority to bind the organization to a nationwide contract and not be case specific. If signed electronically, the digital signature(s) must be backed by a digital certificate (e.g., Adobe Sign or DocuSign). In most cases, TPA documents are processed in 3 business days.

TPA Consent Form
The consent form must be signed and submitted by the member company to authorize AF to web-enable a third-party administrator and grant access to the member’s cases on AF’s website.

TPA Access Agreement 
The access agreement must be signed and submitted by the TPA company agreeing to access the Services provided by AF, as limited by the Terms of Use and only on behalf of each member expressly granting the TPA authority in writing.

*These updated requirements pertain to new requests received on or after August 1, 2023. Members with a current TPA relationship will be contacted to update their documentation at a later time.

 

More Information

Now that you've completed the agreement and administrative forms, take a look at the reference and training materials we provide on the various intercompany arbitration Forums and processes to ensure your success and satisfaction. Tutorials are self-paced, so you can pause and rewind sections at your convenience. 

Featured Training

TRS Filing (Coll/OTC) — Reviews the Filing workflow for TRS.

FAQs

A corporate officer, senior level executive, or an individual that has the authority to bind your organization to a nationwide contract must sign the agreements.

A digital signature—a type of electronic signature—is a mathematical algorithm routinely used to validate the authenticity and integrity of a message (e.g., an email, a credit card transaction, or a digital document). Digital signatures create a virtual fingerprint that is unique to a person or entity and are used to identify users and protect information in digital messages or documents. In emails, the email content itself becomes part of the digital signature. Digital signatures are significantly more secure than other forms of electronic signatures.

Yes. Upon completion of the agreement, please forward a signed copy to the attention of membership@arbfile.org or send to:

Arbitration Forums, Inc.
Attn: Membership Services
3820 Northdale Boulevard, Suite 115
Tampa, Florida 33624
The Member Management Guide will walk you through the process of adding new users.
Arbitration Forums now requires that both a TPA Consent Form and a TPA Access Agreement be completed and returned to membership@arbfile.org or

Arbitration Forums, Inc.
Attn: Membership Services
3820 Northdale Boulevard, Suite 115
Tampa, Florida 33624

The TPA Consent Form must be signed and submitted by the member company to authorize AF to web-enable a third-party administrator and grant access to the member’s cases on AF’s website.

The TPA Access Agreement must be signed and submitted by the TPA company agreeing to access the Services provided by AF, as limited by the Terms of Use and only on behalf of each member expressly granting the TPA authority in writing.

Both the consent form and access agreement MUST be signed by a corporate officer, senior level executive, or an individual that has the authority to bind the organization to a nationwide contract and not be case specific. If signed electronically, the digital signature(s) must be backed by a digital certificate (e.g., Adobe Sign or DocuSign).
In most cases, TPA documents are processed in 3 business days.