by Andrew Ness
While arbitration is often touted as being a less expensive alternative to litigation, the initial cost of initiating arbitration has always been considerably more expensive than filing in court. Typical filing fee in a U.S. court is a few hundred dollars, while administering authorities typically have filing fees in the thousands of dollars. The American Arbitration Association (AAA), self-described as “world’s leading provider of conflict management and dispute resolution services,” is known for its high filing fees that get progressively greater as the amount in dispute rises. But the AAA will now be providing claimants some relief on that front.
The AAA has initiated a new Flexible Fee Payment Schedule intended to provide cost-savings to claimants. The new option is a pilot program available on all cases filed under the AAA’s construction and international rules (as well as the commercial and employment rules) through May 30, 2010.
Here is how it works. Instead of paying a single initial filing fee, the claimant pays a smaller initial filing fee and then a “Proceed Fee” within 90 days. For example, for a construction claim of $1 million, the initial filing fee is $1,000 and the subsequent Proceed Fee is $5,600. The initial filing fee under the AAA’s standard fee schedule would be a single payment of $6,000. The Flexible Fee option is supposed to provide a cost savings, but the combination of the initial fee and the full Proceed Fee is higher than the single initial fee under the standard schedule. So, where is the cost savings? The answer is: the savings come only if the parties appoint their arbitrators without assistance from AAA. If the parties are able to agree on their arbitrators, there is a 50% discount on the Proceed Fee. So, in the example above, the combination of the initial fee and discounted Proceed Fee becomes $3,800 – a savings of $2,200 compared to the standard fee.
Procedurally, if the claimant elects to proceed under the Flexible Fee option, the AAA will notify the respondent of the demand and set the date for filing the answering statement and any counterclaim, but then does nothing more until the Proceed Fee is paid. The Proceed Fee must be paid within 90-days or the AAA will administratively close the file. This 90-day window is for the parties to agree on the appointment of the arbitrators. If they succeed, the claimant pays the discounted Proceed Fee, and the AAA proceeds with the arbitration. If not, the AAA will conduct its standard arbitrator appointment process once the full Proceed Fee is paid.
So the new option provides greater flexibility and offers the potential for cost-savings if the parties can appoint their own arbitrators. Where there is a high likelihood that the parties will not be able to mutually agree on the arbitrators and no immediate settlement is in prospect, the AAA’s standard fee schedule remains preferable. Complete details and a schedule of the fees under the standard and Flexible Fee options can be found at the end of the AAA’s construction industry arbitration rules on the AAA’s website (www.adr.org).
Todd Wagnon
Andrew Ness
Kluwer Construction Blog