NEW YORK, Sept. 18, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Five distinguished professionals with extensive experience in both the legal and business spheres are pleased to announce the formation of ACT-ADR, the Association of Commercial and Transactional ADR Professionals. ACT-ADR is a unique, non-profit organization serving the corporate and legal communities. Its mission is to promote and support business-focused dispute prevention and resolution initiatives and peer-to-peer engagement.

ACT-ADR was established based on the premise that a deep understanding of the commercial and operational realities that often fuel conflicts can improve the successful prevention and resolution of business disputes. ACT-ADR will be an important resource for parties facing conflict, or potential conflict, to find and engage with skilled dispute professionals with experience in corporate, transactional and financial matters. All of its members, whether they be arbitrators, mediators, settlement counsel or advisors, have both deep business and legal experience as well as demonstrated track records in managing and resolving disputes.

"We understand the profound impact disputes can have on a company's operations and bottom line," said Myrna Barakat Friedman, ACT-ADR's inaugural President. "Our members have been on the front lines of business decision-making, so we know firsthand how deals are made and the consequences of unresolved conflicts. As commercial and financial issues driving business disputes grow more complex, there is an increasing need for disputes professionals who not only possess legal skills but also deep business acumen, the combined experience and expertise that each ACT-ADR member brings to the table."

"We are thrilled to have assembled an extraordinary group of inaugural members who exemplify the best in law, business, and dispute resolution," continued Barakat Friedman. "ACT-ADR will work alongside corporate leaders, administering institutions and solution-focused legal and business professionals globally to foster collaboration and advance how business disputes are managed and resolved."

The founding members of ACT-ADR—Myrna Barakat Friedman, Noah Hanft, Michael Lampert, Scott Partridge, and Jim Reiman—bring decades of experience across a wide range of corporate, transactional, and financial matters. Their collective expertise positions ACT-ADR as a critical facilitator for the ADR ecosystem.

For further information about ACT-ADR and its founding members, please visit .

SOURCE Association of Commercial and Transactional ADR Professionals