While Duboff Edwards Schachter offers the services of experienced litigation counsel, the most efficient and economical method of resolving a dispute will not always require the judicial system or take place in a court room. We seek to tailor the dispute resolution procedure to meet the needs and interests of the client on a case-by-case basis. We are experienced in alternatives to traditional litigation that include mediation, binding and non-binding arbitration, private negotiation and court-supervised settlement conferences.

One area over the last several years where we have been in the ADR forefront is our work on behalf of former students of Indian Residential Schools in the Independent Assessment Process (IAP) under the Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement. Several of our lawyers have acted for Residential School claimants since before the establishment of the IAP and provided impetus and guidance to its establishment.

In family law, two of our lawyers are certified members of Collaborative Practice Manitoba, the organization which sets standards and provides training to not only lawyers, but psychologists, social workers and financial advisors, to assist clients facing separation or divorce resolve their issues in a positive and mutually beneficial way using a multi-disciplinary team approach.

Our lawyers employ alternative dispute resolution in other areas of our practice as well, from labour and employment matters to commercial disputes and First Nation land claims.

There are a number of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques that allow clients to settle legal disputes outside of the typical courtroom setting. In general, ADR techniques tend to be less costly and less adversarial than courtroom litigation. Also, the process and final resolution often are not open to the public, which can be important to clients in many types of case, from commercial to family law matters. The lawyers at Duboff Edwards Schachter can explain all of your ADR options, helping clients work toward settling disputes in the most effective and efficient manner possible.