Indian Dispute Resolution Services - Government to Government

Historically, Indian tribes have had serious difficulties protecting and promoting their interests in transactions with the non-Indian world. There are countless examples during the last several hundred years in which Indian tribes were inadvertently forgotten and by-passed, or intentionally misinformed, outmaneuvered and deceived. In addition, there have been many recent examples in which the parties came to the “table” with the best of intentions but fumbled the opportunity because they were unprepared to deal with the cultural differences and the complexity of the transaction.

The team that mediated the agreement between the Timbesha Tribe and the Forest Service.

Since the inception of IDRS, we have provided skills training, hands-on coaching, and the services of facilitators/mediators to both tribal and non-Indian teams to enhance their effectiveness in “government to government” consultations and negotiations.

IDRS Provides Practitioners Experienced In “Government to Government” Consultations and Negotiations

IDRS staff and associate mediators have intervened at all levels of complex “government to government” consultations and negotiations. They have extensive experience and expertise in undertaking each and all of the following operations associated with these transactions:

Evaluate the feasibility and appropriateness of ADR processes
Convene and facilitate multi-party meetings and conferences
Blend multi-cultural perspectives and interests
Identify, contact, “enlist” and convene stakeholders
Engage in “fact-finding” and assess the nature and scope of the conflict
Provide training and coaching in consensus building skills and processes
Assist each party prepare for negotiations, including reaching internal consensus within the negotiation team and with those they are representing
Facilitate consultations and mediate complex bilateral negotiations
Prepare summary reports and recommendations as requested
Design and implement ongoing collaborative and dispute resolution processes