Biography
Eleissa C. Lavelle, Esq. mediates and arbitrates nationwide in complex and high-conflict disputes including construction, real estate, surety, title insurance, business management and dissolution, professional liability, estate and trust administration, and personal injury matters. Ms. Lavelle has served as a neutral for more than 15 years. Ms. Lavelle enjoyed a diverse private practice in national, regional and Nevada law firms for more than 30 years before joining JAMS in 2012.
Ms. Lavelle brings a calm and common-sense approach to every dispute. She is recognized for her persistence, creativity, knowledge and experience in managing complicated cases and contentious disputing parties in mediation and arbitration.
Ms. Lavelle is an adjunct professor of law at William S. Boyd School of Law. She holds an LL.M. Degree in Dispute Resolution (Straus Institute, Pepperdine University School of Law) and was selected as a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Representative Matters
Construction/Surety
- Arbitrated dispute between a public college system, contractor and surety involving alleged delay, disruption, and defective construction
- Arbitrated disputes between public golf course owner and developer involving alleged defective design and construction
- Mediated disputes involving alleged defective construction of residential developments and individual custom homes, including alleged hazardous waste, insurance coverage disputes and involvement of public entities
- Arbitrated and mediated disputes among sureties, contractors and public owners involving payment and performance bonds
- Mediated construction disputes between subcontractor and general contractor involving non-conforming materials incorporated in a water treatment
- Mediated design and defective construction disputes among subcontractors in connection with a federal project involving repair of water tanks on a military facility
Real Estate
- Mediated disputes concerning a master lease between a publicly traded company and its lenders involving multiple properties throughout the country
- Mediated numerous title insurance disputes
- Mediated and arbitrated cases alleging abandonment of leasehold by anchor tenants in shopping centers
- Mediated dispute involving tenant improvements in a warehouse/office complex
- Mediated multiple inter-related disputes involving complex, mixed-use development (hotel, residential, time-share, commercial uses) and between developer, master community association and sub-associations
- Mediated and arbitrated numerous community association disputes involving federal and state statutory regulations and governing documents
- Mediated numerous disputes involving leasing and sale of commercial and residential properties between owners, tenants, buyers and brokers
- Mediated work-out agreements between lenders, borrowers and guarantors involving distressed commercial and residential properties
Business/Commercial
- Mediated disputes concerning dissolution of many closely held businesses, including professional practices, construction companies and family businesses
- Mediated dispute involving allegations of securities fraud
- Arbitrated and mediated numerous disputes involving allegations of fraud, breach of fiduciary duty and mismanagement of publicly traded and privately held entities
- Mediated and arbitrated consumer disputes involving credit card companies and banks
- Arbitrated and mediated numerous disputes involving breach of contract and default on promissory notes and other agreements in the sale of closely held businesses
- Arbitrated numerous disputes arising from breach of contract involving casino equipment, software contracts
Insurance
- Neutral evaluation of claims between Hurricane Sandy victims and FEMA
- Mediated claims involving OCIP policies in commercial construction disputes
- Mediated coverage issues arising from claims against general contractor for negligent construction
- Mediated coverage disputes in cases alleging professional malpractice
- Mediated coverage issues in construction defect disputes involving residential developments
- Mediated coverage issues in cases alleging officer and director malfeasance
Professional Liability
- Mediated disputes involving skilled nursing facilities
- Mediated disputes involving alleged medical malpractice
- Mediated disputes involving alleged dental malpractice
- Mediated disputes involving alleged attorney malpractice
- Mediated disputes involving alleged malpractice by landscape architects
Education and Civil Rights Cases
- As General Counsel for the Clark County, Nevada School District, mediated and conducted conflict management between and among disputing parents, administrators, employees and trustees
- Mediated disputes involving public and private educational institutions
- Mediated civil rights disputes involving personal injury, excessive use of force and other Civil Rights claims
Estates and Trusts
- Served as Trustee of trusts involving sale of business, real property, insurance and competing interests among beneficiaries
- Mediated disputes alleging improper management of trust estate and breach of fiduciary duty by trustee
- Mediated disputes involving beneficiaries of multiple competing trusts
- Mediated dispute between family members involving management of a family business
- Mediated dispute between disabled mother and paternal grandmother seeking guardianship of minor children
Personal Injury
- Mediated numerous personal injury and wrongful death cases arising from automobile and ATV accidents
- Mediated multiple premises liability claims involving the design and maintenance of retail commercial spaces including but not limited to hotels and grocery stores
- Mediated several claims involving the design, maintenance, striping and signage of parking lots
- Mediated wrongful death case involving alleged negligent design of freeway bypass and signage
Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS.
- Recognized as a “Best Lawyer,” The Best Lawyers in America, 2020-2022
- Recognized as a “Super Lawyer,” Mountain States Super Lawyers
- Adjunct Faculty — Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
- Real Estate Finance
- Negotiation
- Fellow, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators
- Nevada Supreme Court Settlement Judge
- Faculty, National Institute of Trial Advocacy Seminars, Las Vegas, Nevada (Taking and Defending Depositions)
- U.S. District Court for Nevada’s Section 1983 Inmate Early Mediation Program Mediator Panel
- Former General Counsel, Clark County School District
- Former Member and Chairman, Clark County School District Bond Oversight Committee
- Member
- State Bar of Nevada
- Utah State Bar
Recent Publications
- “Timing Is Everything: Balance Risk and Opportunity to Decide When to Mediate,” and "Timing Is Everything: When is hte Best Time to Mediate," JAMS Global Construction Solutions, Spring 2014
- “Payment and Lien Statutes Are Potential Landmines,” Modern Contract Solutions, 2010
- “Negotiation in the Red Zone: Excelling When It’s Critical,” JAMS Global Construction Solutions, Winter 2017
Speaking Engagements
- State Bar of Nevada - April 29, 2021 - Nuts and Bolts of Negotiation
- Pima County, Arizona, Bar Association - Zoom Mediations, Arbitrations and Hearings, 2020
- Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys - Advanced Mediation Strategies, 2017
- JAMS Global Engineering and Construction Group Biennial Conference, February 22, 2018 - Facilitative and Evaluative Styles and Strategies in Mediating Construction Disputes
- Fidelity National Law Group, October 17, 2017 - Persuasive Pre-Trial Advocacy in Litigation
- STRATEGIC MOTION PRACTICE THROUGHOUT LITIGATION: The When, Why and How of Pleading Wars, Discovery Wars, Sanctions and all Sorts of Motions (Panel)
- HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF MEDIATION: Six Things to Consider in the Process (Panel)
- State Bar of Nevada, October 6, 2017 - Negotiation Skills
- State Bar of Nevada, December 7, 2016 - Ethics in Negotiation and Settlement
- "Mediation Advocacy," Nevada State Bar Young Lawyers (panel discussion), 2015
- "Effective Use of Experts in Arbitration," State Bar of Nevada Annual Meeting, 2014
- "Arbitration Clauses for Commercial Transactions and Disputes," Association of Corporate Counsel, 2014
- "Ethical Aspects of Building an Arbitration Practice," American Bar Association Webinar, 2013
- "Exploring the Pros and Cons of Mediation," Association of Corporate Counsel (panel discussion), July 2013
- "Legislative Update: Common Interest Community Operation, Management and Dispute Resolution," State Bar of Nevada Webinar, 2013
- Settlement Conference Training, Clark County District Court Judges, 2013
- "Strategies to Streamline Your Arbitration," Southern Nevada Association of Women Attorneys, 2013
- "Strategies for Managing Disputes and Claims Without Litigation," Construction Management Association of America, South Nevada Chapter, 2012
- Presentations on effective strategies for mediation and arbitration to various private law firms in Nevada and Utah
- General Counsel, Clark County School District, Present
- L.L.M. Degree in Dispute Resolution, Straus Institute at Pepperdine University School of Law
- J.D. and B.A., University of Utah
- Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi
- Partner, Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, Watt, Tieder, Hoffar & Fitzgerald LLP
- Shareholder, Lavelle & Associates, PC
- State Bar of Nevada’s First Bar Counsel
Counsel Comments
- "In mediation and arbitration, Eleissa is “conscientious, relentless, well prepared.”
- Prominent Las Vegas attorney - “[Ms. Lavelle] performed phenomenally and made me look like a hero to my office and my client. I remain very grateful for her attention and service in this matter and prior matters.”
- “Ms. Lavelle had a great understanding of the issues and her background in real estate matters was quite helpful.”
- “[Ms. Lavelle] balanced the table extremely well.”
- “[Ms. Lavelle’s] bluntness backed by her experience was very effective for all sides.”
- “Mediator Lavelle listened to my concerns prior to the mediation…and prepared herself for the case issues that arose at the mediation hearing.”
- “Her ability to present strengths and weaknesses of case and to be persistent” made a decisive difference in the outcome."
- “Lisa Lavelle, if there were more of you, a lot could be accomplished.”
- “Quick and was insightful.”
- “Ms. Lavelle did a fantastic job. The parties were far apart and at a perceived impasse. Twice she went back and brought the parties closer until the deal was closed. An all-around pleasurable experience.”
- “Ms. Lavelle was one of the best mediators I have ever worked with. She worked extremely hard over 6.5 hours to get it globally settled in a difficult case. Could not have been more satisfied.”
- “[Ms. Lavelle] was very patient, tireless in her efforts and her commitment to the process was obvious. Before the mediation began my expectation was no settlement agreement would be reached. Ms. Lavelle is an exceptional mediator.”
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Practice Areas
- Arbitration
- Business/Commercial
- Construction
- Construction Defect
- Engineering and Construction
- Estates/Probate/Trusts
- Higher Education & Title IX
- Personal Injury/Torts
- Professional Liability
- Real Property
- Surety
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