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Two JAMS Panelists Named Best Lawyers’ “Lawyers of the Year;” 57 JAMS Panelists Recognized as 2019 Best Lawyers in America

Two JAMS Neutrals and 57 Panelists recognized in Best Lawyers

Awards Panelist News

Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of mediation and arbitration services worldwide, is proud to announce that Best Lawyers has recognized two of its panelists as “Lawyers of the Year” and 57 of its panelists as 2019 “Best Lawyers in America.”

The 25th 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.

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.

  • Hon. Edward Panelli (Ret). was named the Best Lawyers’ 2019 San Francisco Mediation “Lawyer of the Year;”
  • Michael D. Young, Esq. was named the Best Lawyers’ 2019 New York Mediation “Lawyer of the Year.”

We’re very fortunate to have this exceptional group of neutrals on our team. JAMS is honored that the legal community has once again chosen so many of our impressive panelists for this prestigious list.

-Chris Poole, JAMS President and CEO

The following JAMS neutrals were recognized as 2019 Best Lawyers in America:

  • James M. Amend, Esq.
  • Hon. William L. Bettinelli (Ret.)
  • Hon. Stanley F. Birch, Jr. (Ret.)
  • Gary B. Blum, Esq.
  • Philip L. Bruner, Esq.
  • Richard Chernick, Esq.
  • Zela G. Claiborne, Esq.
  • Robert B. Davidson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Charles H. Dick, Esq.
  • Bruce A. Edwards, Esq.
  • Sheldon H. Elsen, Esq.
  • Hon. Norman S. Fletcher (Ret.)
  • David Geronemus, Esq.
  • Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq.
  • Steven R. Gilford, Esq.
  • Patricia K. Gillette, Esq.
  • Joan C. Grafstein, Esq.
  • Hugh E. Hackney, Esq.
  • David G. Heiman, Esq.
  • John W. Hinchey, Esq.
  • Eleissa C. Lavelle, Esq.
  • Hon. Richard A. Levie (Ret.)
  • Ralph B. Levy, Esq.
  • L. Joseph Loveland, Jr., Esq.
  • Hon. Harlan A. Martin (Ret.)
  • James E. McGuire, Esq.
  • Robert A. Meyer, 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 Ravikoff, Esq.
  • Hon. James Robertson (Ret.)
  • Hon. Ronald M. Sabraw (Ret.)
  • Deborah Crandall Saxe, Esq.
  • Hon. Scott Silverman, (Ret.)
  • Linda R. Singer, Esq.
  • Stephen P. Sonnenberg, 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.)
  • Julia T. Waggener, Esq.
  • 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.

Featured People

Michael D. Young, Esq.
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Securities
  • Surety
Hon. Stanley F. Birch, Jr. (Ret.)
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Employment Law
  • Global Engineering & Construction
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
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
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
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
Charles H. Dick Jr., Esq.
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Business Commercial
  • Employment Law
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Hon. Norman S. Fletcher (Ret.)
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Environmental
  • 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
Joan C. Grafstein, Esq., FCIArb
  • Appellate
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Education Law
  • Employment Law
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Training & Teaching
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
Eleissa C. Lavelle, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Construction Defect
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Surety
Hon. Richard A. Levie (Ret.)
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Appellate
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental Law
  • Family Law
  • Federal Law
  • Health Care
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
L. Joseph Loveland, Jr., Esq.
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Banking
  • Business & Commercial
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Intellectual Property
  • Securities
  • Special Master/Discovery Referee
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
Robert A. Meyer, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Employment
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Federal Law
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Life Sciences
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
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.
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Banking
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Energy & Utilities
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise Distribution Law
  • Governmental & Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury
  • Pharmaceuticals & Mass Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
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
  • Special Master Discovery Referee
Lawrence W. Pollack, Esq.
  • Mediation
  • 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
Hon. Ronald M. Sabraw (Ret.)
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action & Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury
  • Real Property
  • Securities
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
Linda R. Singer, Esq.
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Employment Law
  • Environmental
  • Federal Law
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Training/Teaching
Jerry Spolter, Esq.
  • Agribusiness
  • Aviation
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Insurance
  • Maritime/Admiralty
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Hon. Steven J. Stone (Ret.)
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment Law
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Pharmaceuticals/Mass Tort
  • 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
  • Federal Judge
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • 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
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • 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/Utility
  • Engineering & Construction
  • Entertainment & Sports
  • Environmental
  • Federal Law
  • Franchise
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • American Indian Tribal Law
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • 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/Torts
  • 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

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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