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Diversity Initiative Honorees
2015

American Arbitration

Association
By LeN MaNIace

sasha carbone, associate general counsel
and vice president of AAA

after the first black judge to serve on the U.s. Dis-
trict Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and

who was later appointed to the Third Circuit Court of
Appeals.
Those in the program are paired with AAA neutrals
who serve as mentors. Fellows participate in a week-
long training session at the AAA offices, sitting in on
seminars and taking courses on dispute resolution.
They participate in mock arbitration and mediation
sessions as well as courses focused on building a
career in ADr.

But expertise is not enough, and that’s why the
mentorship program is important. “it’s one thing to
get training and learn about the ADr process, but it’s
another thing to be paired with someone who does
this for a living and has become successful, and gives
you tips and help,” Carbone said.
The pairing of fellows with experienced neutrals
as mentors who facilitate networking and offer
career advice is scheduled to last about a year, but

the relationships often continue beyond the official
program.
Besides the Higginbotham Fellows, the AAA runs
other programs to boost the numbers of women
and minorities in the field. Together with the New iN
York City Bar Association, it holds an annual high- sTE
profile reception and panel discussion featuring new KoP
labor arbitrators. The program provides an oppor- CK
/ ri
tunity for new arbitrators to display their expertise YLJ
on an assortment of labor and employment and N
ADr issues and to network with established profes-
sionals.
alTernaTIve DIsPUTe resolUTIon groups that training that involves sessions on dispute resolution AAA is also partnering with Fordham Law school
offer clients experienced mediators and arbitrators topics, mentoring and networking opportunities to to promote diversity. The effort includes more net-
to provide a speedier and less costly approach to set- women, minority attorneys and others often over- working opportunities and an internship at AAA. This
tling legal disputes have struggled to include diverse looked in the profession.
enables the fellow to observe arbitration proceed-
attorneys on its expert panels.
The program provides a path to work as a mediator ings, conduct legal research and attend arbitration

Whether one goes to conferences or looks at the or arbitrator, positions often referred to as neutrals. it training.
makeup of the panels from which mediators or arbitra- can provide participants with expertise in subject areas Carbone credits these efforts for an increase in
tors are chosen, it’s clear the field needs to do more that enables them to handle mediation or arbitration the share of women and minorities added to its neu-
to bring in women and minorities, said sasha Car- cases more effectively.
trals roster from which arbitrators or mediators are
bone, associate general counsel and vice president “Each year we are looking to add significant numbers chosen.
at American Arbitration Association, where women of women and minorities that will ultimately increase AAA reports that since september 2014, 12 fel-
and minorities comprise 22 percent of AAA’s panel their numbers on our panels and those selected for lows have advanced to its roster of neutrals. Fellows
of alternative dispute resolution (ADr) professionals.
cases,” Carbone said.
have come from 21 states in the United states as
well as Puerto rico, the Virgin islands, Ghana and
To attract attorneys of various backgrounds, AAA since its start, 94 people have passed through the
began in 2009 offering a yearlong program to provide
A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Fellows Program, named
Kenya.

2 March 2015 | | nylj.com