Diversity in the Appointment & Selection of Neutrals

Retired Albany City Court Judge, Rachel Kretser, discusses a groundbreaking report by the New York State Bar Association that surveyed alternative dispute resolution providers, asking them to record the gender of neutrals conducting ADR proceedings. The report, titled “Achieving Equality for Women in the Courtroom and in ADR, If Not Now, When,” confirmed what many have suspected from anecdotal observations, that women are grossly underrepresented as both litigators and arbitrators, especially in complex, high-stakes cases. This podcast reflects on the importance of gender equality for parties and the ultimate outcome.