As previously announced, AF will facilitate bi-monthly arbitrator workshop webinars. In these 30-minute sessions, we will cover the following:

1. Recent decision quality trends and drivers
2. Answer questions you may have on hearing cases

Our May workshop’s topic was “Word vs. Word” decisions. A review of recent decisions found that many were appropriate (approx. 60%), while others may have had sufficient evidence to determine liability. A few examples were shared.

Key takeaways include the following:

• Preponderance of Evidence: A party must only prove that the argument is more likely than not to be correct; not beyond a reasonable doubt.
• Prima Facie Case: A party has provided enough evidence to justify a decision in its favor absent a supported rebuttal from the opposing party.
• When hearing cases:
  • Take appropriate time to review the evidence, read the arguments, and “find the truth”
  • Remember that Contentions + Evidence = Fact
  • Incorporate case-specific comments in your decision

Future workshops are scheduled in July, September, and November. Visit our Training page to enroll.