“Should you send a legal notice first, or go straight for arbitration?” This is one of the most common and most misunderstood questions in dispute resolution. Parties often assume that a legal notice and an arbitration notice serve the same purpose, or that one automatically replaces the other. In reality, each has a distinct legal function, strategic value, and consequence. Choosing the wrong one at the wrong time can delay resolution, weaken your position, or even derail yo