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What
We Do
Training
The
Emerald Group offers alternate dispute resolution
(ADR) training to lawyers, litigants, accountants,
businesses and individuals.
ADR training for lawyers consists of practice
mediations or arbitrations usually based on a
specific client's actual fact situation. This
training permits lawyers and/or their clients to
familiarize themselves with ADR procedures and
practice presenting the facts and details of
their case in front of a real ADR specialist
within an actual controlled mediation or
arbitration setting.
These practice sessions are extremely valuable
for both lawyers and their clients. Lawyers
unfamiliar with the ADR process obtain practical
experience and are able to practice the
presentation of actual factual situations.
Through observation of their clients during the
ADR sessions, lawyers are able to determine the
strengths and weaknesses of their case along with
the strengths and weaknesses of their clients’
presentation skills. Practice sessions are
invaluable for clients in reducing stress and for
polishing presentation skills. Many lawyers find
that a client is more open to accepting a
beneficial settlement position following a
practice ADR session.
Following the practice session the ADR specialist
will debrief the participants and provide tips
and commentary on both presentation skills and
the strengths and weaknesses of the factual
position.
BUSINESS TRAINING
ADR training for business focuses primarily on
training existing staff to set up dispute
resolution systems that are self sustaining
within the business. Many larger businesses have
a unionized workplace. Within the constructs of
the collective agreement, there is always a
provision for resolution of contract disputes
through a grievance procedure. The difficulty
with the grievance procedure is that it is
generally rigid, time-consuming, costly and often
unsatisfying for both union and management staff.
The Emerald Group provides training to businesses
of any size. This training enables an ADR system
to be quickly established to operate along side a
grievance procedure. An ADR system is not set up
to take the place of health and safety committees
or any established grievance procedure. An ADR
system is established to provide a forum for all
of the issues that arise in the workplace which
are normally outside the jurisdiction of the
grievance procedure or the health and safety
committee. ADR systems are particularly valuable
in growing, non-union businesses for resolution
of staff issues in a consistent manner and to
reduce management time spent on those issues.
Human resource departments report that a large
number of items that seriously affect morale and
cannot easily fit within the grievance procedure
are subject to negotiation on the daily basis
between staff and management. For example
decisions are often required concerning
relationships between employees, training issues,
working conditions, workplace morale,
installation of new equipment, mergers and
acquisitions or downsizing.
The Emerald Group will provide trainers with
years of business experience who will work with
union and management staff to set up an ADR
system that is both functional and self
sustaining. The Emerald Group is also available
to work with existing or new ADR systems as a
facilitator until the business is able to
maintain the ADR system alone.
Many of our clients report significant decreases
in the number of grievances, the severity of
grievances and the time spent to resolve
grievances following the establishment of an ADR
system. Many of our clients report a significant
improvement in employee morale, productivity and
noticeable cost savings following the
establishment of an ADR system.
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