Hon. Stephen E. Haberfeld (Ret.), widely respected as a charismatic, accomplished, and effective mediator and arbitrator, brings a wealth of talent and three decades of dispute resolution experience to JAMS. Judge Haberfeld is frequently selected to resolve the most complex and contentious disputes.
ADR Experience and Qualifications
- Judge Haberfeld has successfully resolved a broad range of complex disputes involving business/commercial, class action, intellectual property, entertainment, insurance, real estate, construction, employment, estates and trusts, insurance, securities, civil rights, and antitrust matters.
Representative Matters
- Arbitrator of California statewide wage-and-hour class action
- Arbitrator of "Enron"-type action, based on allegedly false and misleading financial information in connection with "for stock only" sale by seller of closely-held private company to public company
- Arbitrator, consultant, and symposium panel leader concerning the interpretation and application of e-discovery amendments to the California Code of Civil Procedure and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure
- Arbitrator of dispute over allegedly discriminatorily coerced departure of nationally-known attorney from famed international law firm
- Arbitrator of dispute between major studio and author over prominence of placement of claimed "source material" screen credit in motion picture starring Academy award-winning actress and actor and directed by Academy award-winning director
- Arbitrator and mediator of business disputes concerning corporate governance and alleged violations of duties of loyalty and care (e.g., corporate opportunities doctrine, business judgment rule, etc.)
- Arbitrator of business dispute over non-renewal of leading sub-prime unsecured credit card issuer bank's contract for direct marketing services
- Discovery referee of nationally reported dispute over allocation of interests in $107 million court judgment
- Mediator of dispute between well-known actor and production company over co-ownership and value of co-ownership of copyright of hit network TV series
- Chair of three-person panel in mock arbitration in connection with nationwide class action employment sex discrimination litigation
- Mediator of multi-county wage-and-hour class action
- Arbitrator and mediator of business valuation disputes
- Arbitrator and mediator of business disputes concerning whether co-shareholder/ LLC member-employee terminated "for cause" or under "morals clause" or otherwise, as affecting primarily valuation of stock/membership interests and other contractual benefits
- Mediator of nationally reported dispute between East Coast and West Coast organizations bearing similar names, famous for their nationally famous celebrity "roasts"
- Mediator of dispute between premier motion picture creature creator and leading video game publisher over contract provision governing motion picture deal for successful game involving creator's creatures
- Arbitrator and mediator of patent and trade secrets dispute over rights to processes involved in the manufacture of synthetic wood products
- Sole arbitrator in contract dispute involving famous actress’s compensation as celebrity spokesperson for brand of beauty products
- Mediator of landmark settlement of denial of "special needs" education claims under the federal Individuals With Disability Education Act and related federal and state law
- Chair of three-person entertainment arbitration panel, contract dispute concerning international pop star's eleventh-hour cancellation of concerts abroad
- Chair of three-person entertainment arbitration panel, contract dispute concerning famous TV comedy star's video distribution rights to favorite skits from famous "Golden Age of Television" shows
- Mediator of entertainment and intellectual property dispute concerning alleged misappropriation of concepts central to internationally famous director's theatrical motion picture production
- Sole arbitrator in "Bond girl" contract dispute
- Mediator of Internet copyright dispute over texts of management and leadership lessons learned from episodes of hit network reality TV show
- Sole arbitrator in contract dispute between suddenly successful actress/screenwriter and her former personal manager
- Mediator of dispute concerning copyright, trademark, and trade dress violations alleged in connection with importation, marketing, and distribution of Chinese "knock-offs" of U.S. IP-protected and manufactured products
- Chair of three-person arbitration panel in contract dispute focusing primarily on alleged violations of non- competition agreements involving major providers of medical imaging services in Southern California
- Member of three-person arbitration panel in dispute concerning contract termination and trademark infringement claims involving former manufacturer and distributor becoming competitors in marketing, distribution, and sale of automotive flushes and lubricants
- Mediator of class action wage and hour dispute and arbitrator of class action antitrust settlement fund allocations
- Chair of three-person commercial panel in dispute concerning responsibility for large insurance deductible in connection with sale of division by one major corporation to another
- Sole arbitrator of entertainment dispute concerning composer's claimed rights to additional compensation for re-released recorded works
- Sole arbitrator concerning insurance coverage issues triggered by title company's material omission in real property title reports
- Mediator in entertainment/sexual harassment dispute; and mediator in landlord-tenant/civil rights discrimination dispute
- Arbitrator of business dispute between competitor/former partners in on-line day trading educational services
- Mediator and referee of highly emotional, contentious intra-familial probate and conservatorship disputes