There are signs that attitudes to ADR are changing with more
clients adopting such methods to avoid heated courtroom
battles
While law firms report some growth litigation, the increase in
arbitration has been much more dramatic. Traditionally, Iberian
clients have taken a litigious approach to commercial disputes, but
there is a feeling that a "cultural shift" is taking
place as clients awareness of the benefits of various types of
alternative dispute resolution (ADR) grows. However, improving
client awareness of ADR remains one of the biggest challenges
facing law firms.
Alfonso Iglesia, partner at Cuatrecasas, Gonçalves
Pereira, says that, while there has been moderate growth in
litigation and domestic arbitration, there has been an increase of
international commercial arbitration cases and an
"explosion" in investment arbitration, much of it
relating to renewable energy. Meanwhile, Uría
Menéndez partner Álvaro López de Argumedo says
there has been an increase
