New SMA Mediation Rules Announced

New Rules for Mediation are now available from the Society of Maritime Arbitrators (SMA) in New York. The SMA believes select commercial disputes could benefit from the Mediation Rules. Arbitration, however, is still the preferred method of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) and the Mediation Rules are not intended to replace arbitration. "The Mediation Rules are non-binding and may be used in tandem with current SMA Arbitration Rules," said Lucienne Bulow, president of SMA. "As such, parties and their attorneys will now have an additional alternative means to resolve their disputes in New York. These methods of ADR should continue to allow parties to seek resolution of their disputes in a time-efficient and cost-effective way, to their mutual satisfaction." The SMA was founded in 1963 with nine members from various sectors of the maritime industry and has grown to 122 members today. The organization's mission is to promote sound maritime arbitration through education and procedural rules and to establish ethical standards for its membership. The SMA publishes the reasoned decisions of its members.