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Five JAMS Panelists Named “Lawyers of the Year” and 59 JAMS Panelists Recognized As “Best Lawyers in America” by Best Lawyers®

Awards Panelist News

Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is proud to announce that Best Lawyers® has recognized five of its panelists as “Lawyers of the Year” and 59 of its panelists as “Best Lawyers in America” for 2020.

The Best Lawyers in America© is a product of the collaborative efforts of Best Lawyers® and U.S. News & World Report to conduct exhaustive, peer-review surveys in which thousands of leading lawyers confidentially evaluate their professional peers in 146 practice areas. The 2020 edition analyzed more than 83 million votes, which resulted in the inclusion of more than 62,000 attorneys, or approximately 5% of lawyers in private practice in the United States.

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 named as the “Lawyer of the Year” for each specialty and location, which included 137 practice areas across 182 metropolitan regions.

The following JAMS neutrals were honored as “Lawyers of the Year” for 2020:

  • John W. Hinchey, Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for mediation in Atlanta.
  • L. Joseph Loveland Jr., Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for intellectual property in Atlanta.
  • R. Wayne Thorpe, Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for arbitration in Atlanta.
  • Richard Chernick, Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for arbitration in Los Angeles.
  • Ronald B. Ravikoff, Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for mediation in Miami.

We are proud to have such a large group of JAMS neutrals represented in Best Lawyers, and we believe it is a testament to the quality of our neutrals’ work and their reputation in the legal community. We congratulate all of our panelists who were acknowledged with this honor by their peers.

- Chris Poole, JAMS President and CEO

The following JAMS neutrals were recognized as “Best Lawyers in America” for 2020:

  • James M. Amend, Esq.
  • Jeffrey G. Benz, Esq.
  • Hon. William L. Bettinelli (Ret.)
  • Hon. Stanley F. Birch, Jr. (Ret.)
  • Gary B. Blum, Esq.
  • Philip L. Bruner, Esq.
  • Richard Chernick, Esq.
  • Steven C. Choquette, Esq.
  • Zela G. Claiborne, Esq.
  • Deborah Crandall Saxe, Esq.
  • Robert B. Davidson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Charles H. Dick, Esq.
  • Bruce A. Edwards, 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.)
  • 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.)
  • Andrew D. Ness, Esq.
  • Hon. Edward A. Panelli (Ret.)
  • Albert M. Pearson III, Esq.
  • Lawrence W. Pollack, Esq.
  • Clarence L. Pozza, Jr., Esq.
  • Ronald Ravikoff, Esq.
  • Hon. James Robertson (Ret.)
  • Hon. Ronald M. Sabraw (Ret.)
  • 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 H. Weinstein (Ret.)
  • Hon. Diane M. Welsh (Ret.)
  • Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.)
  • Michael D. Young, Esq.

About JAMS – Local Solutions. Global Reach.

Founded in 1979, JAMS is the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. With 28 locations, JAMS and its nearly 400 panelists are responsible for resolving thousands of the world’s important cases every year.

JAMS successfully resolves and manages business and legal disputes by providing efficient, cost-effective and impartial ways to overcome barriers at any stage of conflict. JAMS offers customized dispute resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, top-notch facilities and highly trained panelists.

More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

Featured People

Cecilia H. Morgan, Esq.
  • Antitrust
  • Banking
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Energy/Utility
  • Estates/Probate/Trusts
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise
  • Governmental Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Pharmaceuticals Mass Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Charles H. Dick Jr., Esq.
  • Arbitration
  • Antitrust/Competition
  • Business/Commercial
  • Employment Law
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Estate & Real Property
  • Securities
Clarence L. Pozza, Jr., Esq.
  • Accounting/Finance
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Education/Schools
  • Employment
  • Energy/Utility
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
Hon. Curtis E. von Kann (Ret.)
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Environmental
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Surety
Hon. Daniel Weinstein (Ret.)
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Environmental
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Maritime/Admiralty
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Pharmaceuticals/Mass Tort
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
David Geronemus, Esq.
  • Accounting Finance
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action and Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Environmental
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
  • Surety
  • Training Teaching
Deborah Crandall Saxe, Esq.
  • Appellate
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Employment
  • Health Care
  • Special Master/ Discovery Referee
Hon. Diane M. Welsh (Ret.)
  • Antitrust
  • Aviation
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Education/Schools
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Environmental
  • Federal Judge
  • Financial Markets
  • 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. Dickran M. Tevrizian (Ret.)
  • Aviation
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Environmental
  • Federal Judge
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Eleissa C. Lavelle, Esq.
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Construction Defect
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Estates/Probate/Trusts
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Surety
Eric E. Van Loon, Esq.
  • Accounting/Finance
  • Banking
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Energy/Utility
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Entertainment and 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
Gary B. Blum, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
Hon. Harlan A. Martin (Former)
  • Banking
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Federal Law
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Special Master Discovery Referee
  • Surety
Hugh E. Hackney, Esq.
  • Antritrust
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action and Mass Tort
  • Employment
  • Energy Utility
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Family Law
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Pharmaceuticals Mass Torts
James E. McGuire, Esq.
  • Banking
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
Hon. James Ware, (Ret.)
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Federal Judge
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Personal Injury
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
  • Special Master/Discovery Referee
Jeffrey G. Benz, Esq., FCIArb, FCollArb, CEDS
  • Business/Commercial
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Health Care
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Maritime Admiralty
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Real Property
  • Special Master Discovery Referee
  • Telecommunications
Jerry Spolter, Esq.
  • Agribusiness
  • Aviation
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Insurance
  • Maritime/Admiralty
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Joan C. Grafstein, Esq., FCIArb
  • Appellate
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action and Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Education Schools
  • Employment
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Training Teaching
Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Energy & Utility
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Surety
  • Real Property
L. Joseph Loveland, Jr., Esq.
  • Antitrust & Competition
  • Banking
  • Business & Commercial
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Intellectual Property
  • Securities
  • Special Master/Discovery Referee
Lawrence R. Mills, Esq.
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Financial Markets
  • Governmental Public Agency
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Lawrence W. Pollack, Esq.
  • Antitrust
  • Business/Commercial
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Maritime/Admiralty
  • Professional Liability
Linda R. Singer, Esq.
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Federal Law
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Training/Teaching
Maria C. Walsh, Esq.
  • Appellate
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury/Torts
Michael D. Young, Esq.
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Securities
  • Surety
Hon. Norman S. Fletcher (Ret.)
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Class Action and Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Environmental
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Family Law
  • Governmental Public Agency
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Special Master
Patricia H. Thompson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Surety
Philip L. Bruner, Esq.
  • Construction
  • Energy Utility
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Governmental Public Agency
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Professional Liability
  • Surety
R. Wayne Thorpe, Esq.
  • Accounting/Finance
  • Banking
  • Bankruptcy
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Environmental
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.)
  • Accounting/Finance
  • Banking
  • Business/Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Environmental
  • Estates/Probate/Trusts
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Franchise
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Hon. Richard A. Levie (Ret.)
  • Antitrust
  • Appellate
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Environmental
  • Family Law
  • Federal Law
  • Health Care
  • Higher Education & Title IX
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Special Master/Discovery Referee
Richard Chernick, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Construction Defect
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Federal Law
  • Governmental Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Surety
Robert A. Meyer, Esq.
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Federal Law
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Life Sciences
  • Professional Liability
  • Securities
  • Special Master Discovery Referee
Robert B. Davidson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Life Sciences
  • Securities
  • Surety
Ronald Ravikoff, Esq.
  • Antitrust
  • Business/Commercial
  • Cybersecurity & Privacy
  • Federal Law
  • Financial Markets
  • Governmental/Public Agency
  • Health Care
  • Securities
Hon. Ronald M. Sabraw (Ret.)
  • Antitrust
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Real Property
  • Securities
Scott J. Silverman
  • Business/Commercial
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Family Law
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross Border
  • Maritime/Admiralty
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Special Magistrate/Disc'y Referee
Hon. Stanley F. Birch, Jr. (Ret.)
  • Appellate
  • Business Commercial
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Environmental
  • Federal Judge
  • Financial Markets
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Securities
  • Special Master Discovery Referee
Hon. Stephen E. Neel (Ret.)
  • Administrative Law
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Life Sciences
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Special Master/ Discovery Referee
Steven C. Choquette, Esq.
  • Business & Commercial
  • Construction
  • Construction Defect
  • Estates/Probate/Trusts
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Hon. Steven J. Stone (Ret.)
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • Pharmaceuticals/Mass Tort
  • Product Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
Zela ''Zee'' G. Claiborne, Esq.
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment Law
  • Energy/Utility
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Surety

Media Contact

For further information, please contact:

Kristine Snyder

JAMS Senior Public Relations & Content Manager

+1 949-224-4614 (Direct Dial)

Ksnyder@jamsadr.com

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