Chris M. Kwok, Esq. has been a JAMS Neutral since 2018, bringing extensive experience in resolving complex disputes as an arbitrator and mediator. Experienced in labor and employment law, Mr. Kwok is also adept at managing complex business and commercial disputes, international conflicts, and trusts and estates matters. He has handled matters for individual and pro se complainants to class action plaintiffs, and from governmental agencies to large, mid-sized, and small domestic and international businesses in a wide range of industries including securities, banking and financial markets, accounting, education, healthcare, restaurants, nursing homes, arts and entertainment, higher education, retail, aviation and manufacturing. 

Mr. Kwok’s experience in employment matters is multifaceted. He has resolved discrimination claims based on age, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, national origin, and mental and physical disability, as well as in many other employment law realms including executive compensation, Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), wage and hour, labor-management relations, trade secrets, non-competition agreements, employment benefits, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), whistleblower, retaliation, sexual harassment, hostile work environment, and wrongful termination claims, among others.

His deep-seated employment law experience stems from his JAMS tenure as well as his fifteen-year career at the New York District Office of the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), where he mediated thousands of disputes. He served as the Supervisory ADR Coordinator for the EEOC’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit from 2014 through 2018 where, in addition to his own mediation work, he oversaw employment law mediations across all EEOC offices within the New York District Office region. He also served two years as a Federal Investigator in the EEOC’s Enforcement Unit, where he investigated employment discrimination charges.

Mr. Kwok was born in China and raised in Queens, New York. While he frequently visits China and is proficient in both Mandarin and Cantonese, he conducts mediations in English. He possesses a deep understanding of Chinese history, culture, and the political and social dynamics that shape relations with China, which he applies in relevant matters. Additionally, he maintains professional relationships with arbitral institutions in Japan, Korea, and China. He regularly hosts business and legal delegations from China and conducts seminars and training sessions.

He is the founding Co-Chair of both the ADR and  Labor & Employment Committees of the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) and the Dispute Resolution Committee of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA).

Mr. Kwok is highly respected for his professionalism and impartiality in handling challenging cases. His deep understanding of the legal landscape and his strong commitment to fair and efficient dispute resolution make him a trusted figure within the ADR community. 

ADR Experience and Qualifications

Representative Matters

• Business & Commercial
Breach of Contract

• Arbitration: involving questions of enforceability, binding nature, and rights to alleged outstanding payments under a purchase and security agreement 
• Arbitration: involving technology/research firm’s allegation that transportation platform failed to pay monies owed for services rendered pursuant to services agreement 
• Arbitration:  regarding alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Practice Act (TCPA), Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), and other state consumer laws involving claims for statutory, actual, and punitive damages and the removal of all tradelines reported to consumer reporting agencies
• Mediation: involving alleged breach of confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions of employment separation agreement by former employee of university
General Business

• Arbitration: regarding alleged failure of collection company to investigate charged off account 
• Mediation: regarding portfolio of senior living properties in which plaintiff alleged that board of directors and management of acquiring company breached their fiduciary duties in connection with acquisition of properties 
• Mediation: involving breach of contract and/or unjust enrichment and conversion claims between holding company for paintings of highly successful painter and studio manager
• Mediations: numerous cases involving retail sales practice program of global bank and alleged unwanted financial products relating thereto      
• Employment Law
Breach of Contract

• Arbitration: involving alleged contractual breaches relating to unused vacation days and violations of FLSA and New York Labor Law (NYLL) by hotel 
• Arbitration: involving alleged breach of terms of employment agreement by employee of medical practice  
• Mediation: relating to breach of employment contract claims against brokerage company due to alleged nonpayment of commissions and salary 
• Mediation: involving allegations that employee violated his contractual duties to investment banking firm on his resignation and failed to reimburse firm for monies allegedly due to it 
Discrimination

• Age
• Arbitrations: involving allegations against multinational technology conglomerate by multiple claimants of age discrimination violative of, inter alia, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
• Mediation: relating to allegations of age, gender and disability discrimination, hostile work environment, and wrongful termination against cyber security software and services company 
• Disability
• Mediation: involving allegations by administrative aide that university-affiliated entities interfered with her rights under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and discriminated against her because of her disability and age in violation of the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL) by terminating her after she was unable to resume employment
• Mediation: involving alleged violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII, ADEA, FMLA and NYLL, among others, based on disability, age, and gender discrimination by paint supply company employee who filed EEOC and New York State Division of Human Rights charges
• Mediation: involving allegations of discrimination and retaliation against large retail store and certain of its managers based on employee’s disabilities (e.g., intellectual disabilities, fibromyalgia and asthma) in violation of Title VII, the New York State Executive Law and the ADA
• Mediation: involving individual claimant’s ADA, FMLA and retaliation claims against mobility equipment supplier in putative class action by disabled employees who alleged they were disproportionately affected by company’s leave policy 
• Mediation: relating to alleged disability discrimination, retaliation, failure to accommodate, failure to engage in cooperative dialogue, and publication of discriminatory employment advertisements by legal staffing and recruitment company under the ADA and the NYCHRL 
• Mediation: involving allegations that claimant was subjected to hostility and retaliation and coerced into resigning by hospital employer after requesting workplace accommodations related to bipolar disorder 
• Gender
• Mediation: involving allegations of gender discrimination and retaliation against employment/job placement website 
• Mediation: involving allegations of age and gender discrimination, sexual harassment and hostile work environment against company      
• Mediation: involving employment discrimination claims based on pregnancy against hair removal/waxing salon 
• Mediation: involving allegations of gender discrimination by bank director who filed EEOC discrimination and retaliation charges 
• Mediations: involving, inter alia, discrimination, hostile work environment, sexual harassment and/or retaliation claims against law firm, real estate brokerage, healthcare services provider, hotel, and university, among others 
• Mediation: involving allegations of gender discrimination, assault, battery, sexual harassment, and hostile work environment against restaurant      
• Mediation: relating to allegations of discrimination based on sexual orientation again brewing company 
• Mediation: involving allegation of manager that high-profile CEO of restaurant companies sexually assaulted her 
• Mediation: relating to allegations that medical school discriminated against  claimant based on her pregnancy and disability by terminating her after refusing to grant her an exemption from the school’s COVID-19 vaccination requirements 
• Mediation: involving state Attorney General’s investigation into construction company matter involving allegations of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation
• Mediation: involving allegations of discrimination on the basis of gender stereotyping, perceived disability, and retaliation for complaints made about racial discrimination between nursing student and college; additional allegations included breach of student code of conduct, violation of the student’s due process rights under the United States Constitution, and discrimination and retaliation under Title II of the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• Race and National Origin
• Arbitration: involving alleged retaliation based on claimant’s opposition to discriminatory (racial), harassing, and retaliatory treatment of company subordinates            
• Mediation: involving allegations, among others, that travel conglomerate harassed and discriminated against claimant based on claimant’s race (Indian) and gender and retaliated against claimant for reporting alleged discrimination in violation of various laws including Title VII, the NYCHRL, and the NYLL
• Mediations: involving allegations of race discrimination by Black employees against distributor of industrial supplies and global investment banking firm, among others 
• Mediation: involving allegations of Caucasian grocery store manager that he experienced discrimination, harassment and retaliation and was constructively discharged from his position 
• Mediation: involving alleged race and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation and hostile work environment claims against non-profit in violation of Title VII, the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL), the NYCHRL and the New York State Executive Law
• Mediation: relating to alleged race/national origin, gender, disability, age discrimination, and retaliation claims violative of Title VII, ADEA, Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, NYSHRL, NYCHRL, NYLL, National Labor Relations Act, and FLSA against global information technology company 
• Mediation: involving allegations that digital streaming service terminated nearly all of its Asian American executives after acquisition and subsequent closure of the company, while retaining and/or reassigning its Caucasian executives to other corporate positions within related entertainment company 
• Mediation: involving allegations of Muslim hospital workers who wear beards as part of their religious beliefs that hospital engaged in religious discrimination in connection with their request for an exemption from COVID-19 mask requirements 
• Mediation: involving allegations that manager of financial services firm treated employee in an abusive manner because she was an Asian woman and retaliated against her for taking a medical leave of absence 
• Mediation: involving allegations of race discrimination and retaliation against graduate school of education 
• Mediation: involving allegations of Big 4 accounting firm employee who alleged that company’s placement of him on a Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) and its subsequent termination of his employment constituted racial discrimination and retaliation 
• Mediation: involving work ownership, constructive discharge and Black Lives Matter (#BLM) claims against a media company 
• Non-Competition Agreements
• Arbitration: involving dispute between former employee and software company over alleged violations of provisions of parties’ non-compete agreement     
• Wage and Hour/Fair Labor Standards Act
• Arbitrations: involving multiple allegations of state and federal law violations for “off the clock” work performed by various claimants at a national restaurant chain 
• Arbitration: involving alleged violations of FLSA and state minimum wage and hour act against home health care provider 
• Arbitration: involving alleged breach of employment agreement and violations of NYLL against travel agency which allegedly made illegal deductions from claimant’s wages and failed to timely pay claimant’s commissions 
• Arbitration: class action involving alleged violations of the FLSA, failure to pay overtime wages, the acceptance of kickbacks and forced tip sharing 
• Neutral Evaluator: on facet of FLSA-related matter      
• Mediation: involving allegations against construction company of unpaid wages and overtime fees and alleged failure to pay prevailing wage pursuant to NYLL
• Mediation: involving alleged violations of federal and New York State laws requiring overtime pay for employees, the payment of wages consistent with the prevailing minimum wage, and the furnishing of accurate wage notices
• Mediation: involving class action allegations against catering company for unpaid overtime
• Mediation: relating to case managers’ allegations that child welfare agency failed to compensate them for time worked outside their scheduled shifts
• Mediation: involving class action FLSA and pregnancy discrimination claims alleged against real estate investment company 
• Mediation: relating to investment banking firm’s alleged failure to pay terminated employee for accrued vacation days pursuant to Massachusetts law
• Whistleblowing
• Arbitration:  relating to whistleblower action involving breach of contract and  breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing claims, as well as alleged violation of NYLL Section 215(1)(a)’s provisions regarding protected activities  
• Mediation: involving allegations by director against prison association for whistleblower retaliation in violation of New York’s Not-for-Profit Corporation Law (N-PCL) and NYLL Section 740 
• Mediation: involving allegations by principal of charter school that joint employers engaged in whistleblower retaliation under New York’s N-PCL and race discrimination under the NYCHRL 
• Wrongful Termination
• Arbitration: involving alleged wrongful termination and discrimination claims against energy supplier 
• Arbitration: involving alleged wrongful termination and defamation claims against ride-share company 
• Mediation: relating to alleged wrongful termination, retaliation and hostile work environment claims alleged against global investment banking company
• Mediation: involving global trader’s allegations that firm wrongfully accused him of sexual harassment 
• Mediation: relating to claims for retaliation, wrongful termination and defamation against an accounting software company 
• Estate/Probate/Trusts
• Mediation: involving contested will and ownership of assets based in Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands and Japan 

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Memberships & Professional Activities

• Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)
• Board Member, 2018-2023
• Chair, Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, 2022-2024
• Co-Chair, Asia Practice Committee, 2017-2022
• Co-Chair, Issues Committee, 2015-2025
• Co-Chair, Labor & Employment Committee, 2014-2016
• National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA)
• Founding Co-Chair, Dispute Resolution Committee, 2017-2024
• Ray Corollary Initiative
• Board Member, 2021-2024
• Asian American Federation
• Board Member, 2018-2025     
• Chinese American Citizens Alliance, Greater New York
• National Representative, 2017-2022
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
• Representative, White House Initiative Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, 2016-2018
• Founding Chair, Asian American Pacific Islander Network (national  organization of the EEOC’s Asian American employees), 2017-2018     
• Co-Executive Editor, “A Rising Tide of Hate and Violence Against Asian Americans in New York During COVID-19: Impact, Causes, Solutions,” AABANY/Paul Weiss, 2021
• Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS

• Panelist, “Global Perspectives: Navigating Employment Disputes Across Borders,” JAMS, Hispanic National Bar Association International Section (HNBA) and AABANY,  September 19, 2024
• Moderator, “Navigating Legal Complexities for High-Net-Worth Individuals,” AABANY,  April 11, 2024
• Panelist, “Increasing Diversity and Inclusion Among ADR Neutrals,” Defense Research Institute (DRI) Insurance Coverage and Practice Symposium, November 29, 2023
• Moderator, “China Roundtable” on current and emerging legal and economic issues between China and the United States, AABANY, Asia Practice Committee and Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee, May 19, 2023
• Panelist, “Arbitration of Employment Law Claims,” New York City Bar Association, Labor & Employment Committee, March 3, 2023
• Moderator, “Emerging Legal Risks in Greater China: Navigating Litigation and Corporate Issues,” AABANY, February 28, 2023
• Speaker, “Diversity in ADR: Lessons Learned and the Path Forward,” ABA Dispute Resolution Section and Solo, Small Firm and General Practice Division Section, April 26, 2022
• Speaker, “International Arbitration Panel,” AABANY, April 16, 2022
• Speaker, “Diversity and Inclusion: A Social and Professional Responsibility,” Loyola University of Chicago School of Law, September 2021 
• Speaker, “Show & Tell: Using Data to Increase Diversity in ADR,” DRI, September 21, 2021
• Panelist, “Empowering Diverse Lawyers to Pursue Pathways in ADR,” Amistad Long Island Black Bar Association, June 2021 
• Panelist, “Bruins Speak: Anti-Asian Racism, Athletics, and Social Justice,” UCLA Undergraduate Education Academic Advancement Program, May 2021 
• Moderator, “ADR Trends 2021 & Increasing Selection of Diverse Neutrals,” National Bar Association (NBA), NAPABA, and HNBA, April 2021
• Mr. Kwok has also appeared as a guest on a variety of media outlets including, NPR, CBS 2, FOX 5, ABC, PBS MetroFocus, HBO/HBO Max and Radio Television Hong Kong, as well as the South China Morning Post, the New York Times, New York Magazine, NY Daily News, New York Intelligencer, Gothamist, Politico, The City, LA Magazine, NY Metro, and Today.com

• Frontline Champion, Greater New York Chapter of the Association for Conflict Resolution (ACR-GNY), 2020
• Asian American Bar Association of New York, AABANY Member of the Year, 2017

Background and Education

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, New York District Office, 2003–2018
• Supervisory ADR Coordinator, Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit, 2014–2018
• ADR Mediator, Alternative Dispute Resolution Unit, 2006–2014
• Federal Investigator, Enforcement Unit, 2004–2006
• Pro Bono/Contract Mediator, 2003–2004
• Bar Admissions
• New York, 2007
• California, 2000
• J.D., UCLA School of Law, 2000
• B.A., Cornell University, 1996