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Eight JAMS Panelists Named Best Lawyers’ “Lawyers of the Year;” 53 JAMS Panelists Recognized as 2018 Best Lawyers in America

JAMS Neutrals selected as "Lawyers of the Year" and Best Lawyers in America for 2018 by Best Lawyers

Panelist News Awards

Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of mediation and arbitration services worldwide, is proud to announce that eight of its panelists were selected as Lawyers of the Year and 53 of its panelists were recognized by Best Lawyers as 2018 Best Lawyers in America.

  • Philip L. Bruner, Esq. was named the Best Lawyers’ 2018 Minneapolis Construction Law “Lawyer of the Year;”
  • Richard Chernick, Esq. was named the Best Lawyers’ 2018 Los Angeles Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year;”
  • Terrence Lee Croft, Esq. was named the Best Lawyers’ 2018 Atlanta Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year;”
  • Robert B. Davidson, Esq. was named the Best Lawyers’ 2018 New York Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year;”
  • Bruce A. Edwards, Esq. was named Best Lawyers’ 2018 San Francisco Mediation “Lawyer of the Year;”
  • Lawrence R. Mills, Esq. was named the Best Lawyers’ 2018 Seattle Arbitration “Lawyer of the Year;”
  • Cecilia H. Morgan, Esq. was named Best Lawyers’ 2017 Arbitration Dallas/Fort Worth “Lawyer of the Year;” and
  • Scott J. Silverman (Retired Judge, 11th Circuit) was named the Best Lawyers’ 2018 Miami Mediation “Lawyer of the Year.”

Best Lawyers compiles its lists of outstanding attorneys by conducting exhaustive, peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers.  Additional recognitions are also awarded to individual attorneys with the highest overall peer-feedback for a specific practice area and geographic region. Only one attorney is recognized as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location. The 24th edition of The Best Lawyers in America includes more than 50,000 attorneys in nearly 150 practice areas, covering all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and inclusion in the publication is based on more than 4.3 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

JAMS is honored that the legal community has recognized so many of our panelists. We are very proud of all the neutrals who made this year’s Best Lawyers list.

-Chris Poole, JAMS President and CEO

The following JAMS neutrals were recognized as 2018 Best Lawyers in America:

  • James M. Amend, Esq.
  • Hon. William L. Bettinelli (Ret.)
  • Hon. Stanley F. Birch, Jr. (Ret.)
  • Philip L. Bruner, Esq.
  • Hon. Howard S. Chasanow (Ret.)*
  • Richard Chernick, Esq.
  • Zela G. Claiborne, Esq.
  • Terrence Lee Croft, Esq.
  • Robert B. Davidson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Bruce A. Edwards, Esq.
  • Sheldon H. Elsen, Esq.
  • Hon. Norman S. Fletcher (Ret.)
  • David Geronemus, Esq.
  • Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq.
  • Patricia K. Gillette, Esq.
  • Joan C. Grafstein, Esq.
  • Hugh E. Hackney, Esq.
  • John W. Hinchey, Esq.
  • F. Carlton King, Jr., Esq.
  • Eleissa C. Lavelle, Esq.
  • Hon. Richard A. Levie (Ret.)
  • Ralph B. Levy, Esq.
  • Hon. Harlan A. Martin (Ret.)
  • James E. McGuire, Esq.
  • Lawrence R. Mills, Esq.
  • Cecilia H. Morgan, Esq.
  • William H. Needle, Esq.
  • Hon. Stephen E. Neel (Ret.)
  • Hon. Edward A. Panelli (Ret.)
  • Albert M. Pearson III, Esq.
  • Lawrence W. Pollack, Esq.
  • Alexander S. Polsky, Esq.
  • Clarence L. Pozza, Jr., Esq.
  • Ronald B. Ravikoff, Esq.
  • Hon. James Robertson (Ret.)
  • Deborah Crandall Saxe, Esq.
  • Hon. Scott Silverman, (Ret.)
  • Linda R. Singer, Esq.
  • Jerry Spolter, Esq.
  • Hon. Steven J. Stone (Ret.)
  • Hon. Dennis M. Sweeney (Ret.)
  • Hon. Dickran M. Tevrizian (Ret.)
  • Patricia H. Thompson, Esq.
  • R. Wayne Thorpe, Esq.
  • Hon. John K. Trotter, Jr. (Ret.)
  • Eric E. Van Loon, Esq.
  • Hon. Curtis E. von Kann (Ret.)
  • Maria C. Walsh, Esq.
  • Hon. James Ware (Ret.)
  • Hon. Daniel Weinstein (Ret.)
  • Hon. Diane M. Welsh (Ret.)
  • Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.)
  • Michael D. Young, Esq.

*Hon. Howard S. Chasanow (Ret.) – 1937-2017

Featured People

Philip L. Bruner, Esq.
  • Construction
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • International & Cross Border
  • Surety
Richard Chernick, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Construction Defect
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment Law
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Federal Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Personal Injury
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Terrence Lee Croft, Esq.
  • Agribusiness & Food Law
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Appellate
  • Aviation
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Environmental Law
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Franchise Distribution Law
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Telecommunications
  • Training & Teaching
Robert B. Davidson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Accounting Finance
  • Aviation
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Maritime Admiralty
  • Pharmaceuticals & Mass Torts
  • Product Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Lawrence R. Mills, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Cecilia H. Morgan, Esq.
  • Accounting Finance
  • Agribusiness & Food Law
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise Distribution Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Life Sciences
  • Personal Injury
  • Pharmaceuticals & Mass Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
  • Training & Teaching
Scott J. Silverman
  • Business Commercial
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Family Law
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross Border
  • Maritime Admiralty
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Hon. Stanley F. Birch, Jr. (Ret.)
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Employment Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
Zela ''Zee'' G. Claiborne, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Environmental Law
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Surety
Hon. Norman S. Fletcher (Ret.)
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Environmental Law
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Family Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
David Geronemus, Esq.
  • Accounting Finance
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise Distribution Law
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
  • Surety
  • Training & Teaching
Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross Border
  • Surety
  • Real Property
Hugh E. Hackney, Esq.
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Employment Law
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Family Law
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross Border
  • Pharmaceuticals & Mass Torts
F. Carlton King, Jr., Esq.
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Employment Law
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Eleissa C. Lavelle, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Construction Defect
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Surety
  • Insurance
Hon. Harlan A. Martin (Former)
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Law
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
James E. McGuire, Esq.
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
Hon. Stephen E. Neel (Ret.)
  • Administrative Law
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Life Sciences
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Lawrence W. Pollack, Esq.
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Business Commercial
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross Border
  • Maritime Admiralty
  • Professional Liability
Clarence L. Pozza, Jr., Esq.
  • Construction
  • Real Property
  • Accounting Finance
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Education Law
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury
  • Securities
Ronald Ravikoff, Esq.
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Business Commercial
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Securities
Jerry Spolter, Esq.
  • Agribusiness & Food Law
  • Aviation
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Insurance
  • Maritime Admiralty
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Hon. Steven J. Stone (Ret.)
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Pharmaceuticals & Mass Torts
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Hon. Dickran M. Tevrizian (Ret.)
  • Aviation
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Patricia H. Thompson, Esq., FCIArb, CollArb
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross Border
  • Surety
R. Wayne Thorpe, Esq.
  • Accounting Finance
  • Banking
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise Distribution Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Eric E. Van Loon, Esq.
  • Accounting Finance
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Law
  • Franchise Distribution Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • American Indian Tribal Law
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Hon. Curtis E. von Kann (Ret.)
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Personal Injury
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
  • Telecommunications
Maria C. Walsh, Esq.
  • Appellate
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
Hon. James Ware, (Ret.)
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Law
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Health Care
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
Hon. Daniel Weinstein (Ret.)
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental Law
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Maritime Admiralty
  • Personal Injury
  • Pharmaceuticals & Mass Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
Hon. Diane M. Welsh (Ret.)
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Aviation
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Education Law
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental Law
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Federal Law
  • Health Care
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Maritime Admiralty
  • Personal Injury
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.)
  • Accounting Finance
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental Law
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise Distribution Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Michael D. Young, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross Border
  • Securities

Media Contact

For further information, please contact:

Kristine Snyder

JAMS Director, Public Relations & Content 

+1 949-224-4614 (Direct Dial)

Ksnyder@jamsadr.com

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