New York – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce the addition of Hon. James “Jay” C. Francis IV (Ret.) to its panel. Judge Francis joins JAMS after serving 32 years as a United States magistrate judge in the Southern District of New York, including a two-year term as chief magistrate judge. During his tenure, Judge Francis was responsible for thousands of cases in which he conducted pretrial proceedings, mediated settlements and presided over trial.
Based in the New York Resolution Center, Judge Francis will serve as an arbitrator, mediator and special master/referee handling disputes involving business and commercial matters, civil rights, class actions and mass torts, e-discovery, employment, federal law, financial markets and intellectual property.
Judge Francis comes to JAMS with an accomplished background and expertise in a variety of areas, including e-discovery. We are pleased that he’s chosen to join the panel in New York.
- Chris Poole, JAMS President and CEO
Judge Francis is nationally recognized as an expert in electronic discovery. He has spoken on the topic at the judicial conferences of both the Third and Ninth Circuits, as well as at programs such as the Georgetown Law School Advanced eDiscovery Institute, annual meetings of the Sedona Conference and the ABA Cross-Border Institute. He is the author of numerous opinions concerning e-discovery, having addressed such issues as the obligation to preserve data, proportionality and cost-shifting.
I have found that settling cases requires preparation, patience and persistence, as well as the ability to grasp complex matters. I’m delighted to be working alongside the panel in New York to continue helping parties reach resolution.
- Hon. James “Jay” C. Francis IV (Ret.), JAMS Neutral
Prior to his appointment as a magistrate judge, Judge Francis was an attorney with the impact litigation unit of the Legal Aid Society of New York. There, he litigated class actions and test cases in the areas of housing and education. He also established the Disability Rights Unit to provide legal services for persons with physical and mental disabilities.
Judge Francis received his B.A., summa cum laude, from Yale College and his J.D. from Yale Law School.
About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.
Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. JAMS successfully resolves and manages business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways to overcome barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized dispute resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, top-notch facilities and highly trained panelists.
With a roster of nearly 400 neutrals and 28 locations, JAMS resolves thousands of the world’s important cases every year. JAMS also offers remote dispute resolution through videoconference and other platforms. JAMS neutrals are adept at managing the resolution process whether they are conducting in-person or virtual hearings.
More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn and our JAMS ADR blog.
