Stephen Crane

Hon. Stephen G. Crane (Ret.)

JAMS Mediator, Arbitrator, Referee/Special Master, Neutral Evaluator

Case Manager
Shakiya Wright-McDuffie
T: 212-607-2761
F: 212-751-4099
620 8th Ave, 34th Floor, New York, NY 10018
swrightmcduffie@jamsadr.com

Stephen G. Crane is available to conduct cases virtually. JAMS is equipped to provide virtual ADR services on a variety of online platforms, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx, and more.

Biography

A retired senior justice of the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court and former Commercial Division Justice, Judge Crane has confronted complex intellectual property issues in litigations and appeals as a judge.  Since joining JAMS in 2008, Judge Crane has had numerous occasions to mediate and arbitrate  such issues.

Representative Matters

  • Adjudicated action for breach of agency agreement to promote licensing of merchandise and memorabilia of major league baseball players
  • Adjudicated availability of arbitration under agreement conditioned on agreement of non-signatory third-party licensor
  • Adjudicated anti-trust violations of an exclusive licensing agreement following expiration of the patent for the licensed technology
  • Special Master to supervise disclosure of gross receipts on which royalties are calculated for foreign licensing of rights to a certain film
  • Mediated claim for damages for continuing to use without compensation certain design concepts that had been created during contract period
  • Mediated disputes over exploitation of trademark and relative rights of the disputing parties to compensation
  • Arbitrated, in lieu of an adversary proceeding in the bankruptcy court, creditor’s claim of damages caused by failure of certain motors manufactured by the bankrupt; required ruling on the technical reason for the failures and whether that reason was attributable to the claimant
  • Mediated dispute over software license agreement for program providing platform for foreign currency trading
  • Mediated claims for breach of a consulting agreement involving the development of software programs for the banking industry, misappropriation of trade secrets and intellectual property and damage to existing relationships
  • Arbitrated dispute over copyright to law firm website at expiration of partnership
  • Arbitrated claim of licensee of a medical product to damages for violation of exclusivity and for wrongful termination
  • Arbitrated claim of artist of site-specific installation art to prohibit its alleged destruction by owner’s plan to remove or relocate it
  • Arbitrated claim to proceeds of contingent promissory notes, pegged to sale of drug, invented by claimant, issued upon sale of his corporation
  • Arbitrated claims to royalties allegedly underpaid on licensed products that were incorporated into an Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity military contract and to accounting costs of the royalty inspection
  • Mediated claim for damage to works of art while on loan to a museum for exhibition
  • Mediated claims of breach of a non-compete agreement and wrongful termination under a contract hiring the seller of a business dealing in orthopedic devices
  • Mediated claims of investor against corporation to which he assigned patents for refusing to renew his consulting agreement
  • Mediated claim of patent holder against licensee that had ceased using the product for failure to remit payments under a right-to-use license
  • Mediated claim of prominent music group to damages for copying portions of composition
  • Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS
  • Robert L. Haig Award for Distinguished Public Service, New York State Bar Association
  • Jack Newton Lerner Award for outstanding contributions to Continuing Legal Education, New York County Lawyers’ Association
  • Louis J. Capozzoli Gavel Award, New York County Lawyers’ Association
  • Distinguished Service Award, Law Secretaries & Law Assistants Collegium
  • Harold A. Stevens Jewel Award, New York County Lawyers’ Association–Tort Section
  • Past President, Cornell Law Association and Past Chair, Cornell Law School Advisory Council
  • Past Member, Pattern Jury Instructions Committee of the Association of Supreme Court Justices of the State of New York
  • New York County Lawyers’ Association
    • Co-Chair, Institute on Continuing Legal Education; Chair, History Committee
    • Member: Public Service Awards Committee, Cromwell Award Committee 
    • Past Member: Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Criminal Justice Section (founding co-chair)
  • New York State Bar Association
    • Past Chair, Committee on Civil Practice Law and Rules
    • Member: Commercial and Federal Litigation Section Executive Committee, Dispute Resolution Section Executive Committee
    • Former Member, House of Delegates 
    • Life Fellow, New York State Bar Foundation
    • Member of former Commission on Legal Services for the Middle Income
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America and New York State Trial Lawyers Association
  • Honorary Board Member, formerly Member of New York Regional Board and its Executive Committee, and Chair of By-Laws Committee, Anti-Defamation League
  • National Center for State Courts: Project Advisory Committee for A Manual for Managing Notorious Cases, 1990-1992
  • Association of Justices of the Supreme Court of the City of New York and Association of Justices of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
  • Member, Board of Justices, First Judicial District
  • Former Chair, Board of Trustees, New York County Public Access Law Library
  • Museum Memberships:  The Guggenheim Museum; The Metropolitan Museum of Art; The Museum of Modern Art; The Frick Collection; The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum; The Museum of Jewish Heritage; Frank Lloyd Wright Association
  • Neutral, International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (CPR)
  • Justice, Supreme Court, New York County, 1984-2007 (Supreme Court Justice, 1990-2007; Acting Supreme Court Justice, 1984-1989)
    • Senior Associate Justice, Appellate Division-Second Department, 2008
    • Associate Justice, Appellate Division-Second Department, designated 2005
    • Additional Justice, Appellate Division-Second Department, designated 2001
    • Administrative Judge of Supreme Court, Civil Branch, New York County, 1996-2001
  • Judge, Criminal Court, City of New York, 1981-1984
  • Partner, Glass Howard and Crane, New York, 1980-1981
  • Counsel to the Office of Court Administration, New York, 1979-1980
  • Chief Law Assistant, Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, New York, 1976-1979 (Senior Law Assistant, 1966-1976)
  • Associate, Poletti Freidin Prashker Feldman & Gartner, New York, 1963-1966
  • J.D., with distinction, Cornell Law School, 1963
  • B.S., Cornell University, 1960

Counsel Comments

    • "Thank you [Judge Crane] for your Herculean efforts in assisting the parties to resolve their dispute. This would not have happened had it not been for your determined and patient efforts."
    • "We're impressed with your involvement and the level of your commitment to the process. You not only demonstrate a sterling intellect, but keen understanding of the interpersonal aspects of negotiation."

      -Lawyer for Party
    • "We very much appreciate Judge Crane’s skillful approach and considerable efforts that enabled the parties to reach this settlement."

      -Law Firm Attorney
    • "I don't think that it would be premature to express, once again, our appreciation for your hard and skillful work in connection with the resolution of our case. We had been working on reaching a settlement for several years without success. In three short hours, you helped us work it out. We look forward to working with you again in the future."

      -Law Firm Attorney
    • "I want to thank you for being so instrumental in developing the basis to end this most unfortunate and unnecessary conflict.  Your judicial stature, knowledge of the critical aspects of the law, and capability to assess the relative significance of the factual issues were each vital in the mediation process."

      -CEO Family Business Client
    • "Thank you once again for your efforts... What a truly terrific job I thought you did. I have been singing your praises here since then. You are probably the best mediator we ever had the pleasure of working with. You really pulled a rabbit out of the hat on this one. We didn't think this one was going to settle. You did a superb job. Another round of thanks for you."

      -Attorney for party
    • "It was as painless as possible and Judge Crane deserves to be credited for his objectivity and pleasant manners in a surprisingly strife free situation."

      -Appraiser

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Disclaimer

This page is for general information purposes.  JAMS makes no representations or warranties regarding its accuracy or completeness.  Interested persons should conduct their own research regarding information on this website before deciding to use JAMS, including investigation and research of JAMS neutrals. See More

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