Page 110 - USA BOOK FINAL PDF---08-09-2020web-1_Neat-final

THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED -

A PROFESSIONAL CAREER AS A DISPUTE RESOLUTION PRACTITIONER

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-

I took the one less traveled by,
and that has made all the difference

Atty. Geeta Ravindra

Many parents in the Indian community encourage their children to enter the field of
medicine, engineering, or computer science as these paths lead to jobs that provide
a secure and prosperous life. I however, was never interested in math and science. I
loved English and History, actively competing in debate and original oratory throughout
high school and college. I served as the Chair of the Student Government Legislature in
college and often dreamed of becoming the Prime Minister of India. I admired Mahatma
Gandhi and was struck by his commitment to ahimsa and peaceful conflict resolution.
He changed the course of India’s history with courage, compassion and humble dignity.
Gandhiji inspired me to strive to become a lawyer and an agent of change.

I attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Law School and was the
first person to enter the legal profession in my family. My first job was with the Private
Adjudication Center (PAC) in Durham, N.C. The PAC custom designed dispute resolution
services for clients. I was first introduced to the concept of Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) at the PAC and instantly fell in love. What drew me to the field was the opportunity
to work directly with clients in processes that empowered them to be part of decision
making and resolution. I worked on cases related to the Toyota Reversal Arbitration
Board, which was designed to give dealers a user-friendly process to address sales credit
disputes. I also managed the Dalkon Shield Arbitration program, which was an innovative
and highly effective application of ADR in resolving over 300,000 claims against A.H.
Robins Company for injuries related to the Dalkon Shield intrauterine device, which
ultimately bankrupted the manufacturer.

The privacy, efficiency, and voice that the women in the less formal Dalkon Shield
arbitration hearings was amazing. It was incredibly rewarding to hear the appreciation
expressed by the claimants who were helped by this process and to know that I had a
role in facilitating closure of a very long-standing and painful experience. I knew that I

106 43