4. Sign an arbitration agreement

Once you’ve decided which arbitrator to hire, that arbitrator usually drafts your arbitration agreement and includes details, such as:

• the issues you are going to arbitrate
• the name of your arbitrator
• when arbitration meetings take place
• what documents you have to share and how you share them
• who pays for the arbitrator
• what either partner can appeal if they don’t agree with the arbitrator’s decision

Before signing the agreement:

• Read it carefully.
• Make sure that it includes all the important details about the process.
• Review it with your lawyer.
• Ask any questions you have.
• Make sure that you understand it.

You must get independent legal advice (ILA) before signing an arbitration agreement.

A lawyer can also tell you what the law says about your rights and responsibilities. Rights are what the law says you can get. Responsibilities are what the law says you have to do.

If you can’t afford to hire a lawyer for everything, some lawyers provide “unbundled services” or “limited scope retainer” services. This means you pay them to help you with certain things.

If you can’t afford to hire a lawyer at all, you may be able to find legal help in other places.