American Arbitration Association® Strengthens and Expands Its Mediation Services

NEW YORK, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Arbitration Association (AAA^®), the global leader in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), today announced the expansion of its mediation infrastructure and offerings in response to the growth of and demand for its mediation business.

Reflecting on the AAA's commitment to mediation as a key component of a comprehensive ADR solution, its mediation caseload has grown 14 percent in total since 2022 and, in 2025 alone, commercial filings increased 15 percent year over year while consumer filings rose 79 percent.

In response to this demand, the AAA is investing in expanded panels, modernizing rules and procedures, and building new service offerings, including regionalized family mediation services, in support of parties and practitioners. The AAA's mediation efforts are supported by a broader set of recent initiatives, including:  

• Modernized Mediation Rules and Procedures, including new Consumer Mediation Procedures and updated Consumer Arbitration Rules that integrate mediation into the process.
• AAAi Mediator Search, an AI-powered platform that helps parties identify and evaluate qualified AAA mediators based on expertise, experience, and location, and easily file a mediation with the AAA.
• Featured Construction Mediation Panel, supporting complex and high-value disputes with industry-experienced mediators and tailored dispute-resolution options in California.
• Launch of Mediation Magazine, a year-round digital publication focused on mediation trends, insights, and professional development.

"Mediation has become a central way people and organizations want to resolve disputes, and we are seeing that reflected across our mediation portfolio," said Tracey Frisch, Division Vice President of Mediation at the AAA. "That interest continues to shape how the AAA expands mediation into additional practice areas, while maintaining the same standards of neutrality, rigor, and procedural integrity."

Building on this momentum, the AAA is expanding its mediation offerings to address family-related disputes, responding to growing demand for trusted, professional services. The Family Mediation program applies the AAA's institutional standards and mediation framework to matters involving separation, divorce, parenting, and related domestic issues.

The AAA's Family Mediation Panel consists of experienced mediators and family-law professionals with expertise in divorce mediation, custody and parenting plans, support matters, and related family disputes. Services are available virtually or in person, with a focus on reducing conflict and helping families reach informed, durable agreements. The program launched initially in New York and Massachusetts, with plans to expand into additional major markets in 2026.

"Increasingly, we see courts, agencies, and national providers viewing mediation as the preferred resolution path for relationship-focused disputes," said Bridget McCormack, president and CEO of the AAA. "This is especially important for families navigating emotionally complex transitions. As this landscape continues to evolve, the AAA is being deliberate about how this work is designed and delivered, particularly in institutional settings where judgment, discretion, and credibility matter as much as process."

The AAA plans to continue expanding its mediation services throughout 2026 across multiple practice areas and jurisdictions, and will launch a Technology and Mediation conference on June 12 with Suffolk University Law School as part of its Family Mediation initiative in Massachusetts.

For more information about Mediation at the AAA, visit adr.org/mediation.
For more information about Family Mediation services, visit adr.org/mediation-industries/family-mediation/.

About the American Arbitration Association
The American Arbitration Association is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services in the world. Marking its centennial in 2026, the American Arbitration Association has transformed how legal issues are resolved for better since 1926, turning disputes worldwide into opportunities for understanding and progress. A not-for-profit organization, the American Arbitration Association's mission is to deliver ADR services with integrity, transparency, and innovation. For more information, visit www.adr.org/.  

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SOURCE American Arbitration Association