Alternative paths to careers in ADR

Many federal agencies look for neutrals who offer a strong work ethic, good organizational skills, human resource management expertise, competitive pricing, and cutting-edge dispute resolution knowledge.\n Ombuds are an integral part of internal conflict management systems in international organizations such as the World Bank, the IMF, and the United Nations. When pressed to offer recommendations, our colleagues invoked these tips: * Learn and practice neutral work across contexts: seek opportunities to be trained and practiced in a variety of fields, as each will broaden both your skills and networks. * Get yourself to the table: attend every training and conference you can; to offset costs, offer to volunteer in organizing or hosting the event and seek scholarships or discounted registrations and accommodations. * Build relationships within the field: get to know fellow practitioners through local organizations as well as trainings and conferences; while few may actually provide work, many will help you learn where opportunities may arise. * Recognize your market: be thoughtful in considering whom you want to provide neutral services for and how to approach them. * Align your work (and volunteer efforts) with your values: all of the above are facilitated greatly by a commitment to constructive, nonviolent, respectful, non-adversarial approaches to solving difficult issues In short, having a successful practice as a neutral has less to do with being a lawyer or a retired judge and far more with being a consummate professional who has passion and is committed to doing a good job and caring about serving clients' needs.