This article was originally published in the Illinois Bar Journal and can be accessed here. Beginning July 1, 2022, the Illinois supreme court imposed Time Standards for Case Closure for lawsuits filed on or after Jan. 1, 2022 (the “Time Standards”).[1] The Supreme Court determined that an outer limit of 36 months is appropriate for 98 percent of cases to […]
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ADR Systems’ senior mediators and arbitrators are so effective at settling medical malpractice, wrongful death and auto liability disputes that they appear in almost every edition of our monthly Personal Injury Settlement Reports. Our neutrals’ skill at settling these cases is rooted in their legal acumen and ability to facilitate constructive negotiations between the parties […]
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ADR Systems has released its Commercial Settlement Report for June 2026, which features a sample of complex commercial cases recently settled by our mediators. Review the report now.
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ADR Systems has released its Personal Injury Settlement Report for June 2026, which features a sample of unique personal injury cases settled by our mediators in the previous month. Review the report now. Case Types, Neutrals & Claims This month’s report features medical malpractice, negligence, premises liability and sexual assault cases settled by Hon. Dennis J. […]
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Litigation is civil combat. Mediation is not. It is the facilitated negotiation of a settlement that concludes all litigation. But getting to a signed settlement agreement requires negotiation, where certain obstacles can hamper, prolong or even derail the mediation process. In this article, we identify common obstacles to effective negotiation observed by our neutrals and […]
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Parties to an arbitration can actually tailor the process that produces their arbitration award in several ways. Among other things, they can limit the scope of their arbitration, curtail a binding award with a high-low agreement, engage in a baseball-style arbitration and agree to make the award non-binding. By understanding their tailoring options, parties are […]
Read MoreADR Systems has released its Commercial Settlement Report for May 2026, which features a sample of complex commercial cases recently settled by our mediators. Review the report now.
Read MoreADR Systems has released its Personal Injury Settlement Report for May 2026, which features a sample of unique personal injury cases settled by our mediators in the previous month. Review the report now. Case Types, Neutrals & Claims This month’s report features construction accident, negligence, product liability and wrongful death cases settled by Hon. John P. […]
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Hon. Helaine L. Berger, (Ret.) and Hon. Margaret A. Brennan, (Ret.), senior mediators and arbitrators at ADR Systems, recently presented at the Supreme Court of Greece as part of the Chicago Bar Association’s Continuing Legal Education Abroad program. Judge Berger and Judge Brennan participated in “Alternative Dispute Resolution in the U.S. and Greece,” an interactive […]
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Hon. Margaret A. Brennan, (Ret.), senior mediator and arbitrator at ADR Systems, recently served as a mock trial judge for The Chicago School. The students — master’s candidates in forensic psychology — each took the stand and presented expert witness testimony as to a defendant’s competency to stand trial. In this experiential learning exercise, all […]
Read MoreADR Systems has released its Commercial Settlement Report for April 2026, which features a sample of complex commercial cases recently settled by our mediators. Review the report now.
Read MoreADR Systems has released its Personal Injury Settlement Report for April 2026, which features a sample of unique personal injury cases settled by our mediators in the previous month. Review the report now. Case Types, Neutrals & Claims This month’s report features negligence, wrongful death and medical malpractice cases settled by Hon. John P. Callahan, Jr., (Ret.), […]
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Mediation is not simply a more formal version of traditional bargaining. It is a fundamentally different negotiation environment — one that is non-zero-sum and interest-based. When attorneys approach mediation with rigid, “fixed pie,” and win-lose thinking, they often hinder settlement rather than advance it. Successful mediation requires a deliberate shift in mindset from positional advocacy […]
Read MoreIt’s well documented that litigation takes more time than adjudication with arbitration. The US District Court Judicial Caseload Profile from June 30, 2025 reported that the median time from filing to trial for civil cases is 34.1 months.[i] By contrast, the median duration of domestic commercial arbitrations – from initial filing to award – is […]
Read MoreADR Systems has released its Commercial Settlement Report for March 2026, which features a sample of complex commercial cases recently settled by our mediators. Review the report now.
Read MoreFaced with challenging nearly impossible dynamics, including an uninsured, potentially bankrupt and recalcitrant defendant, Judge Brown demonstrated a different facet, counselling litigants to see the positive side of compromising beyond their comfort zone to find catharsis in closure.
James H. Lawlor, III, Esq.Shea Law Group
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