Case

Let's say you have a 32 year-old niece, Lisa, who has been very successful as an app developer in a Silicon Valley company. She has millions of dollars squirreled away in bonds, bank accounts and equity investments. Unfortunately, she is unhappy with her job. While it can be exciting to work on technical projects that can have big impacts and generate substantial revenue, she has decided that she is financially secure and would like to engage in creative work bringing her in close contact with people.

Since she was in grade school, Lisa's great pleasure in life has been cooking. Everyone who has experienced the cuisine she has prepared has praised her for her culinary skills. So in looking for a new career, the obvious question she raises is: "How about setting up a high-end restaurant in northern California that specializes in preparing trendy, super-healthy food?"

Question

Let's say Lisa discovers that a seafood vendor with whom she has worked has been cited for health violations by the county three times in five months, each of which was articulated as a warning and none of which led to legal action. Lisa informs the vendor that she wants to terminate their relationship, but the vendor pushes back, saying this violates the year-long contract he has to be her primary supplier of seafood. He himself has contractual obligations with other suppliers, and breaking the contract with him would provide a major hardship. Identify the three dominant forms of dispute resolution commonly employed in business that are open to Lisa. What are the pluses and minuses of each. Again, please keep the discussion focused on Lisa's specific case and avoid broad, abstract statements.

original content only