The QFC Civil and Commercial Court has appointed Graham Massie as its first director of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Massie, who has worked with the court for more than four years as director of consultancy at the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) in London and involved in mediation services for over 15 years, will now take up a permanent position at the QFC Court as director of ADR. Massie will be working to further develop international mediation and arbitration services available at the QFC Court’s ADR Centre and deliver professional mediation training in partnership with CEDR, which is widely recognised as the international standard of excellence.Speaking at a seminar for legal and business professionals in the ADR Centre last week, Massie stated that ADR (which includes mediation and arbitration) is becoming an increasingly popular method of resolving disputes as an alternative to litigation in the GCC. Mediation works by bringing parties together to try and achieve a fast track negotiated settlement of their disputes, working with the assistance of a trained and neutral mediator. These techniques are particularly effective when it is critical that disputes are resolved swiftly and at an early stage, or where effective working relationships have to be maintained such as in the construction industry, infrastructure projects and employment matters.