American Arbitration Association Hosts Lecture to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Federal Arbitration Act

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Arbitration Association (AAA) announced today the second lecture of a four part series to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). "The FAA -- Going the Distance: Elements of Legislative Durability" is scheduled for February 10, 2005 at 4:30 p.m. at the National Archives Building (McGowan Theater), Constitution Avenue, between Seventh and Ninth Streets, NW, Washington, D.C.

The lecture will include a keynote address from Hon. William H. Webster, former judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (8th Circuit) and former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Central Intelligence Agency. The Hon. James H. Billington, Librarian of Congress, will provide the opening remarks, and former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno will serve as moderator of the program.

Signed into law in 1925 by President Calvin Coolidge, the FAA was enacted by Congress to ensure the validity and enforcement of arbitration agreements. Throughout its successful history, it has formed the basis of arbitration for courts, attorneys and arbitral institutions. To honor the FAA's anniversary, the AAA is hosting a series of lectures that celebrate this milestone and emphasize the importance of the legislation to the continued success of arbitration.

"As we continue to celebrate the legacy and relevancy of the FAA today, we are honored that William Webster, James Billington and Janet Reno will be joining us to commemorate the Act's influence on law and commerce in the U.S.," said William K. Slate, president and CEO of the American Arbitration Association. "This landmark legislation has set the standard for responsible use of arbitration and has been a vanguard for the entire alternative dispute resolution movement."

Application of the FAA to various types of arbitration agreements has resulted in decades of case law that has interpreted, applied and supported the statute in various contexts. This ongoing interpretation of the FAA has enabled arbitrators to considerably expand their activity, both nationally and internationally, to a full range of commercial disputes.

The Planning Committee for the FAA 80th Anniversary events includes the Hon. Janet Reno (co-chair); Hon. William H. Webster (co-chair); James H. Carter, Esq.; Edward V. Lahey, Esq.; William K. Slate II, Esq. and John M. Townsend, Esq. The February 10th event is co-sponsored by the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution and JAMS in cooperation with the National Archives and Records Administration.

"The FAA is the basis of a vibrant system for dispute resolution, setting out the principles on which arbitration continues to be based today," said Slate. "During the history of the Act, arbitration has grown appreciably as an efficient and cost effective method of resolving a wide range of commercial disputes in the U.S., as well as internationally."

The opening lecture in the series on October 25, 2004 in New York City featured opening remarks by Judith S. Kaye, Chief Judge of the State of New York and a keynote lecture by John Feerick, a well-known arbitrator and law professor who previously served as the dean at Fordham University School of Law. The lecture was co-sponsored by the Committee on Arbitration of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Prof. Feerick traced the origins of the FAA and discussed the guiding principles on which it is based. He pointed out that although the Congressional hearings and debates leading to enactment in 1926 were quite limited, "Congress understood a profound change was taking place by passage of the Act because of the abolition of the then American rule that agreements with arbitration provisions would not be specifically enforced."

On May 20, 2005, the third lecture, "Global Implications of the FAA: The Role of Legislation in International Arbitration" will be held in Dublin, Ireland. The event will feature a keynote address from Gabrielle Kaufmann- Kohler, professor at the University of Geneva, partner at Schellenberg Wittmer and president of the Swiss Arbitration Association, and opening remarks from the Hon. Rory Brady, Attorney General of the Government of Ireland.

The fourth lecture, "Kissing Cousins: The FAA and Modern Labor Arbitration" is scheduled for October 20, 2005 in Chicago. Co-sponsored by the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, the National Academy of Arbitrators and the ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, the keynote speaker will be William B. Gould IV, professor, Stanford Law School and former chairman, National Labor Relations Board. Opening remarks will be provided by Abner J. Mikva, lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School, senior director at Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic and former White House counsel, Chief Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals (D.C. Circuit) and U.S. Congressman.

About the American Arbitration Association

The global leader in conflict management since 1926, the American Arbitration Association is a not-for-profit, public service organization committed to the resolution of disputes through the use of arbitration, mediation, conciliation, negotiation, democratic elections and other voluntary procedures. In 2003, more than 174,000 cases were filed with the Association in a full range of matters including commercial finance, construction, labor and employment, insurance, mass claims and technology disputes. Through its 35 offices in the United States and Europe, the AAA provides a forum for the hearing of disputes, rules and procedures and a roster of impartial experts to resolve cases. Please visit us at http://www.adr.org/ .