What Does “Expanding Access” Mean Today?
The alternative dispute resolution (ADR) landscape is evolving rapidly, driven largely by technology. But expanded access today means more than simply making services available; it’s about making them usable, understandable, and equitable.
“We are moving from a reactive model to one where resolution meets people where they are, often through thoughtfully deployed technology that scales without sacrificing fairness,” said AAA-ICDR VP Maya Markovich.
This evolution has broadened access globally, but it also raises deeper questions about what access truly entails.
“Access is also about awareness and opportunity,” explains AAA VP of Inclusion and Engagement Ingeuneal Gray. “People can’t choose ADR, as users or as professionals, if they don’t know it exists.”
Tracey Frisch, the AAA’s DVP of mediation, frames “expanding access” across three critical dimensions. First, technology must simplify—not complicate—the user experience: “Digital case management, virtual hearings, and AI-assisted tools must reduce complexity rather than introduce new barriers.”
Second, process design is just as important as outcomes. As she notes, “Parties need procedures that are proportionate to the dispute and responsive to lived realities.”
Third, access must include representation and voice. “Diverse neutrals, culturally attuned processes, and structures… make participants feel heard and respected.”
As Markovich puts it, the question is no longer just whether someone can file a case: “Can you navigate the process? Can you afford it? Do you understand it? And do you trust that it will treat you fairly?” Expanding access means answering yes to all of these.
Translating Mission into Measurable Action
Access cannot remain an aspiration—it must be measurable.
“Institutions should define clear benchmarks around cost, time to resolution, user satisfaction, and procedural clarity,” says Frisch.
That work starts with data. “Measurable action means looking at who is being served, who is serving, and where gaps still exist,” adds Gray. “When institutions align their systems with their values, access becomes real.”
Driving Change at the AAA–ICDR
At the AAA–ICDR, expanding access has been central to innovation efforts—particularly through technology and process design.
“AAA has made significant progress through digital case management, remote proceedings, and streamlined rules that reduce procedural burden,” says Markovich. “These shifts have expanded geographic reach and lowered participation barriers while preserving due process.”
She also highlights the organization’s leadership in shaping the future of ADR: “Through the AAA-ICDR Institute’s work, we are advancing dialogue around responsible technology integration in ADR.”
Still, progress requires constant refinement.
“As technology evolves and user needs change, we must continue refining our systems, strengthening our pipeline efforts, and ensuring opportunity grows alongside access,” Gray emphasizes. “Progress is real, but it requires continued focus.”
Inclusivity and Opportunity
True access requires inclusivity—not as a standalone initiative, but as a guiding principle embedded throughout an organization.
“When leadership reflects diverse experiences, it becomes more attuned to unseen barriers—whether procedural, cultural, or economic,” says Frisch.
In a moment when inclusivity is sometimes dismissed as a buzzword, these leaders emphasize its strategic importance.
“Inclusive leadership recognizes that access to justice isn’t one initiative,” says Gray. “It’s a commitment across services, education, professional development, and representation. When inclusion guides design, the result is stronger policy and greater trust.”
Leading the Future of ADR
For the next generation of AAA–ICDR leadership, expanding access is both a responsibility and an opportunity.
“I believe leadership comes with a responsibility to widen opportunity, not narrow it,” says Gray. “That means making sure conversations about growth and innovation always include fairness and representation.”
Frisch echoes that balance between innovation and accountability: “Leadership carries the obligation to safeguard fairness while driving innovation that makes resolution more attainable for all.” She points to the AAA–ICDR Foundation as a key part of that mission, supporting underserved communities and advancing global education in dispute resolution.
Markovich underscores the stakes: “As women shaping AAA’s next chapter, we must ensure that efficiency never eclipses fairness, that technology is implemented with ethical guardrails, and that growth strengthens rather than dilutes integrity.”
In the end, the goal is clear: “Access is the mission—and it must remain central to modernization.”