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Seven JAMS Panelists Named “Lawyers of the Year” and 57 Recognized As “Best Lawyers in America” by Best Lawyers®

Seven JAMS Panelists Named “Lawyers of the Year” and 57 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 pleased to announce that Best Lawyers® has recognized seven of its neutrals as “Lawyers of the Year” and 57 of its neutrals as “Best Lawyers in America” for 2021.

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.

The lawyers honored with “Lawyers of the Year” were selected because they received particularly high ratings from most of their peers. The selected lawyers have earned a high level of respect among other leading lawyers in the same communities and the same practice areas for their abilities, their professionalism and their integrity.

The following JAMS neutrals were honored as Best Lawyers® “Lawyers of the Year” for 2021:

Jeffrey G. Benz, Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for arbitration in Los Angeles.

Hon. William L. Bettinelli (Ret.) was named “Lawyer of the Year” for arbitration in San Francisco.

Gary B. Blum, Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for ethics and professional responsibility law in Denver*.

Clarence L. Pozza, Jr., Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for litigation in Detroit.

Scott J. Silverman (Ret.) was named “Lawyer of the Year” for mediation in Miami.

Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.) was named “Lawyer of the Year” for mediation in San Francisco.

Michael D. Young, Esq., was named “Lawyer of the Year” for arbitration in New York City.

We are incredibly proud that the legal community continues to acknowledge and appreciate the work our panelists do. Congratulations to all our panelists. They are very deserving of this recognition.

- Chris Poole, JAMS President and CEO

The following JAMS neutrals were recognized as “Best Lawyers in America” for 2021:

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.

Terrence Lee Croft, Esq.

Robert B. Davidson, Esq., FCIArb

Charles H. Dick, Jr., 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 (Former)

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.)**

Lawrence W. Pollack, Esq.

Clarence L. Pozza, Jr., Esq.

Ronald B. Ravikoff, Esq.

Hon. Ronald M. Sabraw (Ret.)

Deborah Crandall Saxe, Esq.

Scott J. 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. 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.

With a roster of over 400 neutrals and 28 locations, JAMS resolves thousands of the world’s important cases every year. JAMS also offers remote dispute resolution through videoconferencing and other platforms. JAMS neutrals are adept at managing the resolution process whether they are conducting in-person or virtual hearings.

More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on TwitterLinkedIn and our JAMS ADR blog.

 

* This panelist is with the JAMS Denver office, which is a licensee office.

** This panelist has retired from the JAMS panel.

Featured People

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
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
Gary B. Blum, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
Philip L. Bruner, Esq.
  • Construction
  • Energy Utility
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Governmental Public Agency
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Professional Liability
  • Surety
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
Steven C. Choquette, Esq.
  • Business & Commercial
  • Construction
  • Construction Defect
  • Estates/Probate/Trusts
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury/Torts
  • 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
Terrence Lee Croft, Esq.
  • Agribusiness
  • Antitrust
  • Appellate
  • Aviation
  • Banking
  • Business Commercial
  • Civil Rights
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Environmental
  • Estate Probate Trusts
  • Franchise
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Special Master Discovery Referee
  • Telecommunications
  • Training Teaching
Robert B. Davidson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Financial Markets
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Life Sciences
  • 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
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
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
Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq.
  • Business Commercial
  • Construction
  • Energy & Utility
  • Engineering and Construction
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Surety
  • 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
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
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
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
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
  • Environmental
  • Federal Law
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Personal Injury Torts
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
  • Special Master Discovery Referee
  • Surety
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
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
Lawrence R. Mills, Esq.
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Environmental
  • Financial Markets
  • Governmental Public Agency
  • Insurance
  • Intellectual Property
  • Professional Liability
  • Real Property
  • Securities
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
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
Lawrence W. Pollack, Esq.
  • Antitrust
  • Business/Commercial
  • Entertainment and Sports
  • Health Care
  • Insurance
  • International & Cross-Border
  • Maritime/Admiralty
  • Professional Liability
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
Deborah Crandall Saxe, Esq.
  • Appellate
  • Business/Commercial
  • Class Action/Mass Tort
  • Employment
  • Health Care
  • Special Master/ Discovery Referee
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
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
Jerry Spolter, Esq.
  • Agribusiness
  • Aviation
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction Defect
  • Employment
  • Insurance
  • Maritime/Admiralty
  • 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
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
Patricia H. Thompson, Esq., FCIArb
  • Appellate
  • Banking
  • Business/Commercial
  • Construction
  • Employment
  • Engineering and 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
  • Entertainment and 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
  • 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
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
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. 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
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

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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