Former President Jimmy Carter’s death has prompted reflections on his remarkable contributions to the field of negotiation and mediation—skills that left an indelible mark on the world stage. In a conversation with the Daily Business Review, Judge Jose Linares, chair of McCarter’s Alternative Dispute Resolution practice, highlighted the relevance of President Carter’s mediation style to today’s legal practitioners.
“Those of us who work in the alternative dispute resolution field and those seeking innovative and sensible ways to resolve disputes without escalating through the litigation process would benefit from studying President Carter’s legacy of mediation and his use of alternative ways of resolving and reaching amicable resolutions to complex, often dangerous and seemingly intractable situations,” Linares said. “President Carter’s genius was in finding common ground among adversaries on the world stage and helping them reach productive solutions, as he did with the Camp David Accords,” Linares said. “Those of us in the alternative dispute resolution field should learn from his legacy and strive to emulate his impressive life’s work.”
He further reflected, “President Carter demonstrated that effective mediation requires not just technical skill but also emotional intelligence and the ability to see beyond immediate conflict. These qualities are crucial in resolving disputes, whether on the world stage or in the courtroom.”