From Adversarial to Agile: How Hybrid ADR Can Reinvent Arbitration

Date: Tuesday 02 December, 2025
Time: 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Location: Mills & Reeve, 24 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AT

The Context

Arbitration was meant to be fast, focused, and flexible — but somewhere along the way, it started to look a lot like litigation in disguise. Endless process, rising costs, and the same old adversarial habits.

Has arbitration lost its edge?

In a world that rewards agility, collaboration, and innovation, it’s time to ask whether arbitration can evolve — and how we can make it work smarter, not harder.

Why Hybrid?

Hybrid dispute resolution is where agility meets creativity. It’s about mixing and matching the right tools for the job — facilitation, mediation, expert determination, early neutral evaluation, arbitration — applied when they’re needed, not simply because an escalation clause says so. 

They can be used in sequence, side-by-side, or revisited throughout the life of a dispute until resolution is achieved. No rigid boundaries, no one-size-fits-all. Just the freedom to adapt as a dispute unfolds.

The goal? Better results, faster resolutions, and relationships left intact — not in tatters.

The Panel Discussion

Join a lively, no-nonsense conversation as leading practitioners tackle the big questions:

  1. Is arbitration delivering?
    Has it really lived up to its promise of being quicker, cheaper, and more specialist?
  2. Can a mindset shift make a difference?
    What happens when we ditch the adversarial playbook and think in hybrid terms?
  3. What needs to change?
    From rules to training to attitudes — what would it take to make arbitration genuinely agile?

Expect candour, challenge, and a few uncomfortable truths — but also practical ideas for making arbitration fit for the next decade.

Why Attend

  • Discover how hybrid ADR can transform the way complex disputes are managed and resolved.
  • Hear straight from experts driving innovation in international dispute resolution.
  • Engage in an interactive, debate-driven session — no scripted speeches, no slides.
  • Leave with new ideas on how arbitration can be both credible and creative again.

Speakers:

Mills & Reeve, 24 King William Street, London, EC4R 9AT

Hosted by:

  • COMMediate
  • MIlls & Reeve