The legal system came into being as a civilised alternative to more primitive means of dispute resolution. However, it is often now seen as too adversarial, costly, unpredictable, rigid, over-professionalised, damaging to relationships and limited to narrow rights-based remedies rather than creative problem-solving. Alternatives to going to law have therefore been developed, collectively known as Alternative or Appropriate Dispute Resolution, or "ADR" for short.

The main form of ADR is mediation. The oldest and largest organisation providing ADR services is CEDR (the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution) which trains, accredits and provides mediators.

Others include the ADR Group, adjudication.co.uk and Consensus Mediation.