Hon. William J. Furber, Jr. (Ret.), JAMS Mediator and Arbitrator

Hon. William J. Furber, Jr. (Ret.) served as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County since 1993, including a five-year term as President Judge from 2012-2016. During his 24 years on the bench he sat in the Civil, Family, and Criminal Divisions of the Court of Common Pleas. As a Mediator, Arbitrator, and Referee/Special Master at JAMS, Judge Furber handles business/commercial, employment, personal injury, professional liability/malpractice, as well as real property/real estate disputes.

In 2011, Judge Furber founded and presided over the Montgomery County Veterans Treatment Court. This court effectively addresses the needs of veterans in the court system who suffer from service-related illnesses. Judge Furber was appointed to the Judicial Ethics Committee of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges and served on that committee for eight years.

Prior to his appointment to the Court of Common Pleas, Judge Furber established his reputation as a litigator in a prominent Montgomery County law firm and as a solo practitioner. His broad litigation practice included trying personal injury, products liability, professional liability, and business/commercial cases. He also served as the solicitor to two zoning hearing boards. As a member of the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, he served in the major trials division, prosecuting all serious felony charges.

Judge Furber is known for his patience and his keen listening skills, both of which serve him well as a neutral.

ADR Experience and Qualifications

Judge Furber has mediated and arbitrated matters in various practice areas including business/commercial, employment, personal injury, professional liability/malpractice, and real property/real estate
While practicing, Judge Furber developed an extensive arbitration caseload, serving as a neutral arbitrator in uninsured and underinsured motor vehicle cases; he has mediated and arbitrated a number of motor vehicle cases since joining JAMS as well
While on the bench, Judge Furber presided over 1,000 cases which have gone to verdict or judgement and drafted over 300 opinions

Representative Matters

Business Commercial

Has mediated a number of breach of contract cases in various industries and practice areas
Has arbitrated a number of consumer cases involving issues such as breach of contract, violations of terms of use, breach of cardmember agreements, and vehicle loans
Has arbitrated cases involving alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) by various banks
Arbitrated a case involving non-payment for consulting services and allegations of unjust enrichment
Arbitrated a case involving the alleged breach of a sale and purchase agreement which involved questions of EBITDA calculations
Has arbitrated consumer credit cases which alleged violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA)
Has arbitrated disputes over franchise agreements
Arbitrated a case involving the alleged breach of the business line of credit agreement and guaranty
Arbitrated a matter involving the alleged loss of rent from tenants and violations of the New Jersey Consumer Fraud Act

Employment Law

Mediated a wrongful termination and sexual assault claim by and employee against a member of the coaching staff in a professional level sport
Has arbitrated various wage & hour claims
Has arbitrated and mediated various harassment and discrimination claims including violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Has arbitrated wrongful termination and retaliation claims including those involving executives

Personal Injury

Has mediated several slip and fall cases in various locations including: a chain restaurant on a university campus, the sidewalk of a drugstore, and a hospital
Arbitrated the alleged sexual assault of a massage client by the massage therapist
Mediated personal injuries sustained by a patient at a nursing home
Mediated a case involving fatal injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident between a car and a delivery truck
Mediated a matter against a hospital which allegedly failed to secure a discharged patient in a wheelchair who subsequently suffered injuries in a transport vehicle
Mediated a matter involving injuries sustained from an auto accident in which a truck jackknifed and collided with a car in oncoming traffic
Mediated a medical malpractice claim which alleged the failure to properly recognize and treat a patient’s condition which resulted in death

Real Property

Served as a neutral evaluator in a matter involving questions about the title of property as well as the boundaries of the parcel that were insured by the title company
Mediated a dispute involving damage to a veterans memorial caused by faulty electrical wiring

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS
Member, State Trial Judges Ethics Committee, 2008-2016
Hearing Committee Member, The Disciplinary Board of The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Member, American Trial Lawyers Association
Member, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association
Member, Montgomery County Trial Lawyers Association
Member, Board of Trustees of the Borough of Narberth Municipal Police Pension Fund
Member, Board of Directors of the Union Fire Company
Member, Narberth Athletic Association
Member, Judiciary Committee of the Montgomery Bar Association

Background and Education

Judge, Court of Common Pleas of Montgomery County, 1993-2016; President Judge, 2012-2016
Sole Practitioner, 1991-1993
Litigation Specialist, Wilson, Drayer, Morrow and Furber, 1974-1991; Partner, 1976-1991
Assistant District Attorney, The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Major Trials Division, 1974-1976
The United States Marine Corp., Reserve, 1969-1976
J.D., Temple University School of Law, 1974
B.S., with honors, University of Maryland, 1971