Innovative ADR International LLC founder, mediator, and arbitrator Doug Witten began his legal career practicing corporate healthcare law at two of the largest and most prominent law firms in the world. Early on, Doug gained experience in transactional and litigation practice, where he witnessed first-hand the true risks, costs, and uncertainties his clients faced when going to court to resolve legal conflicts.
Fortunately, during that time Doug was also exposed to alternative dispute resolution (ADR) processes – like mediation and arbitration – that increasingly provide parties flexible, efficient ways to end their disputes. The more he learned, the more Doug envisioned how beneficial these processes could be to relieve conflict for so many people and organizations. And he knew that he wanted to focus his work on just that: helping parties resolve matters with less wasted time, effort, and money – and with more control – compared to what traditional court systems can offer.
To become a mediator, and later an arbitrator, Doug decided to hone his negotiation and mediation skills by rolling up his sleeves and going to work. Doug left his prestigious law practice to serve in state government and, after spending time in Spain mastering his language skills, for years mediated disputes between injured workers, employers, and insurance companies.
