Los Angeles - The Association of Media & Entertainment (AMEC) announced that it will present its Founders’ Award to Hon. H. Warren Knight (Ret.), the Founder of JAMS, Inc. and will present its newly inaugurated Peacemaker Award to Hon. Daniel Weinstein (Ret.), also of JAMS and one of the nation’s preeminent mediators of complex civil disputes. The awards are part of the Sixth Annual Counsel of the Year Awards, which have traditionally been held at the House of Blues in West Hollywood. This year, the awards will have a bi-coastal presence with five of the awards presented on January 6, 2011 in New York and the remaining awards presented on January 14 in West Hollywood.
“The entertainment business has been built on relationships and it is, therefore, fitting that this year we will be honoring two distinguished jurists who have successfully advanced the cause of out-of-court resolution of disputes in the industry,” declared William Simon, the Global Chair of the Entertainment and Media Practice of Korn Ferry International and one of the original founders of AMEC. “Judges Knight and Weinstein have pioneered now widely used tools to resolve legal disputes quickly and without permanent damage to established relationships among the top players in the world of entertainment,” Simon concluded.
After serving on the California Superior Court, Judge Knight founded JAMS in January 1979 due to his long-standing commitment to alternative dispute resolution. Judge Knight continues to serve on the JAMS Board and remains involved in the leadership of the company, especially with the JAMS Foundation. Judge Weinstein, also a former California Superior Court judge, is one of the nation’s preeminent mediators of complex civil disputes. He is a pioneer in the development of mediation and teaches fellow mediators and lawyers throughout the United States. Judge Weinstein is recognized as one of the premier mediators of complex, multi-party, high-stake cases, both in the United States and abroad.
Judge Knight said, “This is one of the most unique honors I have received. The entertainment business dominates the global marketplace and I am pleased to have contributed to its success through responsible resolution of the disputes that are inevitable in any enterprise involving intellectual property.”
“AMEC represents some of the most creative and intelligent attorneys I have ever worked with and this is why the award is so meaningful and special to me,” said Judge Weinstein.
ABOUT AMEC AND THE COLLABORATIVE COUNSEL INITIATIVE
In honoring Judge Warren Knight and Judge David Weinstein, AMEC has launched its Collaborative Counsel Initiative, the purpose of which is to encourage AMEC’s international community of media and entertainment attorneys to utilize alternative dispute resolution. AMEC’s Dispute Resolution Section is co-chaired by two distinguished dispute resolution professionals: Kim Deck, Esq. is one of the nation’s most experienced and accomplished full-time mediators. In the past decade, Deck has used her acute problem-solving skills, extraordinary empathy, persistence, and knowledge of the law to successfully resolve nearly 4,000 complex and sensitive disputes, including a myriad of entertainment cases involving all major film and television studios, as well as high-profile employment matters. Lizbeth Hasse, Esq., with 12 solid years as a practicing neutral, brings 30 years of legal expertise and practical experience in entertainment, technology and intellectual property to her extensive dispute resolution practice. Hasse is known for her creative, out-of-the-box solutions, cross-cultural and “people” skills, and in-depth, substantive knowledge of media, entertainment and IP-related matters.