Hon. Read Ambler (Ret.)

T: 408-288-2240
F:408-295-5267
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Arbitration
Judge Ambler is highly qualified to arbitrate a wide range of commercial, intellectual property, real estate, personal injury, and malpractice cases. He has over 25 years of dispute resolution experience as a sitting judge and JAMS neutral, presiding over numerous complex disputes that required written determination of complex legal and factual issues involving virtually all areas of civil litigation. He also had extensive jury and court trial experience as an attorney before his appointment to the bench.

Judge Ambler is a member of JAMS' panel of highly experienced arbitrators and is committed to providing an impartial hearing to all parties and timely and reasoned decisions based on the evidence and the law. He is a member of the JAMS Board of Directors and serves on the JAMS National Arbitration Committee.

Representative Matters

  • Emotional distress claims by family members arising from alleged mishandling of human remains by cemetery
  • Numerous other commercial and residential easement, construction defect, lease, and purchase and sale disputes
  • Wrongful termination cases involving claims of age discrimination and sexual harassment
  • $1.5M claim for manager's interest in sale of large Palo Alto commercial building
  • Ambulatory surgicenter disputes between general partner hospital and limited partner physicians
  • Breach of contract, fraud, and specific performance disputes involving the purchase and sale of large apartment complexes in Sacramento and Oakland, California
  • Claim by partner in major national law firm for alleged tortious interference with $1 million referral fee contract
  • Competing rescission and specific performance claims involving pre-IPO shares in dot.com startup used to purchase single-family dwelling
  • Dispute arising from 200% holdover penalty in lease of commercial premises vacated without provision of hazardous materials closure letter
  • Dispute over lode star attorneys fees arising from Alameda County Rees-Levering Act class action
  • Employment dispute between senior chip architect and fab-less developer and producer of GPS integrated circuits
  • Exclusive U.S. marketing rights for handheld radiation detection devices manufactured in Minsk, Belarus
  • Misappropriation of trade secret, breach of contract, and related claims arising from license of French company by California corporation to use proprietary technology to provide wafer backgrinding and polishing services to silicon wafer manufacturers located in Europe
  • Reformation claim arising out of settlement of lawsuit over extensive downtown holdings in Bay Area city
  • Stock appreciation and tax bonus rights disputes between retired executives and their heirs and prominent national meatpacking company
  • Trade secret claims by alleged inventor of highly successful patented coronary stent technology
  • Tripartite arbitration of claims for auditing malpractice by bankruptcy trustee against major national accounting firm
  • Wrongful termination and fraud claims arising out of discharge of 49% shareholder by 51% shareholder in large national trade show exhibit company
  • Wrongful termination claim by bank president against investment bank he helped found

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

  • Sedona Conference: E-Discovery Dispute Resolution Program for Special Masters & Mediators, January 2010
  • Recipient, official Resolution and Commendation, and the Certificate of Appreciation; both awarded by the County of Santa Clara Board of Supervisors, 2009 
  • President's Advisory Council, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley, 2001-present
  • Professional Advisory Council, Learning Disabilities Association of California (LDA-CA), 2000-2002
  • ADR Profile: "As Neutral, Ex-Judge Relishes Human Contact," Daily Journal (Verdicts & Settlements), July 25, 2008
  • ADR Profile: "Long Tall Texan, Making a Difference," Daily Journal (Verdicts & Settlements), January 4th, 2002
  • Child Abuse Council of Santa Clara County, 1998-2000
  • California Legislature Resolution of Commendation, 2000
  • Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Founders Award, 1999
  • Legal Advocates for Children and Youth (LACY) Honors Award, 1998
  • California Judicial Council Court Technology Advisory Committee, 1997-1999
  • California Volunteers in Parole, Inc. Founders Award, 1995
  • Judge of the Year, Santa Clara County Trial Lawyers, 1991
  • Governing Committee, California Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER), 1984-1986
  • Board of Trustees, Good Samaritan Hospital, 1976-1978
  • President, Santa Clara County Bar Association (SCCBA), 1977
  • President, Barristers Club of Santa Clara County, 1973
  • Outstanding Law Student Award, Santa Clara County Bar Association, 1968
  • President, Stanford Legal Aid Society, 1967-1968
  • United States Navy (LT (USNR) (R)), 1961-1965
  • Co-Captain, Dartmouth Heavyweight Crew, 1960
  • U.S. Olympic Trials (Rowing), 1960

Background and Education

  • Member, JAMS Board of Directors and JAMS National Arbitration Committee
  • Judge, Santa Clara County Superior Court, 1980-2000
  • Partner, Nichols & Ambler, 1975-1980
  • Shareholder, MacLeod, Fuller, Muir & Godwin, 1973-1975
  • Santa Clara County Public Defenders Office, 1970-1973
  • Morgan, Beauzay & Hammer, 1969-1970
  • LL.B., Stanford School of Law, 1968
  • B.A., Dartmouth College, 1961

Click here to download Judge Ambler's General Mediation Bio.