Managing Disputes in a Flat World

Business Conflict Blog by Peter Phillips

Royal Dutch Shell Legal Director Peter Rees and CPR Institute President Kathy Bryan have co-authored a very good article called “How to Manage Disputes in a Flat World.” Much of its appeal lies in its emphasis on management of risk rather than resolution of disputes. And its premise is compelling:

Business is truly global, yet the legal function has not kept up. This is rapidly changing, and informed companies are getting ahead of the curve by taking a global approach to dispute management.

The article outlines steps that Shell has taken to create a global disputes function that establishes single-point accountability for the management of Shell’s litigation portfolio and discusses:

The importance of the right clause for the right agreement;

How early case assessment programs provide the best way to evaluate settlement potential and avoid conflict escalation, and

How a global approach provides corporate counsel with the tools that they need, as well as their outside law firms, so that everyone can ensure the highest quality results with improved stakeholder relationships.

Full article here.

                       

F. Peter Phillips

F. Peter Phillips is a commercial arbitrator and mediator with substantial experience providing consultation on the management of business disputes to companies around the globe. A cum laude graduate of Dartmouth College and a magna cum laude graduate of New York Law School, Mr. Phillips served for nearly ten years… MORE >