Three years ago the London office of Baker & McKenzie recognised that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) was going to become an integral part of the commercial dispute resolution environment in the UK.

Building on the experience already developed in its US, Australian and Far East offices, the London office embarked on a programme to ensure that the firm's lawyers and its clients obtained the skills and awareness needed to enable them to make full use of new ADR techniques.

The programme has six basic steps and continues to evolve.-- Centre real expertise in one or two lawyers.

This provides a resource for the rest of the office.

At Baker & McKeinzie partner Tom Handler and I fill this role We are both CEDR-accredited mediators.

I trained and practised ADR whilst working in Baker & McKenzie's Chicago office.

Tom Handler trained and practises as a mediator with Mediation UK's Camden Mediation Service, and he is also chairman of Environmental Resolve, dedicated to consensus-building and conflict resolution in matters concerning the environment.

We are responsible for monitoring and disseminating developments in ADR practice.

And we also act as a helpline for other lawyers with queries about ADR issues regarding specific cases.-- Run client seminars introducing the concept of ADR.

One of the reasons the suggestion of using ADR is rejected by the other side is that the client (and often the lawyer) is not familiar with the concept of ADR and does not therefore feel comfortable.

By familiarising clients with ADR techniques before, rather than when, disputes arise, lawyers can enable clients to make an informed decision about the merits of using ADR in each case.-- Conduct mediation workshops for both lawyers and clients.

It is still not uncommon to hear lawyers claiming that mediation adds nothing to direct negotiation; that this is a fallacy can easily be demonstrated by involving both lawyers and clients in workshops where, through role playing, they can experience first hand the dynamics of the mediation process and can benefit from comment and evaluation by experienced observers.

-- Provide all disputes lawyers with an ADR check-list.

One of the key skills is identifying when to use ADR; this eventually becomes virtually second nature, but to train lawyers to recognise the right case, the right time and the right type of ADR technique, a check-list is an essential tool.

The check-list picks out those characteristics of the dispute and the parties which suggest that ADR is or is not appropriate.

It should always be used at the outset of the dispute and can then be referred back to at later stages if ADR is not initially used.

-- Instruct commercial lawyers in the basics of ADR and provide them with precedent ADR clauses for use in commercial contracts.

It is essential to give co-ordinated advice on ADR, not only once a dispute ha s arisen, but also at the contract drafting stage.

One of the best ways to take advantage of ADR is to provide for it in the dispute resolution clause.

In order to advise on the best choice (ie non-binding mediation, mediation/arbitration, expert determination, etc) commercial lawyers need to understand these processes themselves.

Commercial lawyers at Baker & McKenzie have received this training.

They have access to a selection of draft clauses with commentary for inclusion in commercial contracts where appropriate, as well as to a comparative study of ADR and arbitration under various institutional rules, again with commentaries.-- Support and become involved with the main ADR providers in the UK.

CEDR provides a very valuable service, not only in providing mediators and administering mediations, but in assisting in training initiatives and offering expert advice in particular cases.

Involvement with CEDR and other ADR organisations assists in keeping at the forefront of ADR development.