Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that 14 neutrals were ranked in the 2021 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Seven neutrals moved up in the rankings from 2020, and Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq., received recognition as a “star individual,” which is a designation for legal professionals with exceptional recommendations in their field.
The following includes the full list of recognized panelists, grouped by category, as well as excerpts from the guide and their JAMS biographies:
Construction: Mediators (California)
- Deborah S. Ballati, Esq., is recognized for being “superb” and for “[going] above and beyond the call of duty in her efforts to facilitate a mediated settlement of the dispute.” She focuses her practice on construction and insurance coverage mediation and arbitration, and has experience mediating disputes involving surety, payment and contract interpretation.
- George D. Calkins II, Esq., has significant experience mediating disputes involving public works projects. A source commented, “He is excellent in his trade.”
- Gerald Kurland, Esq., wins praise across the market for his mediation practice, offering expertise in cases concerning construction defect claims. A source noted, “He is by far one of the most effective mediators around. I use him for significant cases and often recommend him.”
- Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq., was noted by a source as their “go-to guy” who “understands the issues. And with almost every subject matter you come across, he’s good at telling you the likely outcome.” He has considerable experience handling construction disputes involving landmarks, large commercial projects and transport systems.
Construction: Mediators (Washington, D.C.)
- Andrew D. Ness, Esq., has extensive experience acting as a mediator in construction matters. A source remarked that “he has a good reputation and is well known in the industry.”
International Arbitration: Arbitrators (USA – Nationwide)
- Robert B. Davidson, Esq., is an experienced international arbitrator with expertise handling commercial disputes under a broad range of institutional rules, including those of the ICC, LCIA and ICDR. A source stated, “He is very smart, well prepared, has an excellent command of the case and can spot the key issues.”
Mediators (USA – Nationwide)
- Barbara Reeves, Esq., is regularly called upon to settle litigation between entities in the media, technology and health care spaces. A source praised her as “an excellent mediator and a great listener.”
- Cathy Yanni mediates a range of commercial disputes, including product liability cases and bankruptcy litigation. A source mentioned, “She’s a superb mediator, is super smart and really gets the process.”
- Hon. Daniel H. Weinstein (Ret.) is particularly adept at resolving class actions, including those concerning complex real estate or antitrust issues, as well as shareholder disputes. A source noted that “he’s very insightful about the issues and understands where the jugular is for both sides,” underscoring that “it makes him very effective with people.”
- David Geronemus, Esq., has extensive mediation experience and is able to assist clients in a range of insurance disputes, securities class actions and breach of contract cases. A source praised him for being “a very bright guy and an effective mediator.” Another noted that “he is a sophisticated mediator who’s right up there with the best.”
- Kenneth C. Gibbs, Esq., assists clients in resolving significant disputes and has particular expertise in construction and insurance-related matters. A source commented that “when it comes to multiparty mediations, his name always comes up. He is someone that all sides will respect and take what he says in mind.”
- Michael Young, Esq., focuses on mediating a range of finance-related cases and helps to settle disputes involving securities, antitrust and insurance coverage issues. A source praised him for being “part of the A-list of mediators.”
- Hon. Rebecca Westerfield (Ret.) is called upon to mediate a range of complex disputes, including cases involving personal liability, employment and fraudulent financial conduct.
- Robert A. Meyer, Esq., focuses his practice on settling high-stakes antitrust disputes, malpractice suits and securities litigation. A source noted that “there is a small number of mediators who get hired on securities cases, and he’s a key player in that market.”
- Hon. William Cahill (Ret.) has a wide and varied mediation practice, and is frequently sought out to resolve securities, breach of contract and insurance disputes, among others. A source highlighted that “he is a good listener, carefully reads all the submissions, thoughtfully guides the process and works hard to settle matters.”
About Chambers and Partners
Chambers and Partners is an independent research company operating across 200 jurisdictions and delivering detailed rankings and insight into the world’s leading lawyers. Chambers empowers organizations to make informed decisions when selecting legal services, saving time and resources and reducing risk. Chambers' 200 research analysts provide unique insight into complex areas of law in different jurisdictions. Chambers conducts tens of thousands of interviews a year with in-house counsel and third-party experts, such as barristers and accountants, delivering detailed insight into providers of legal services.
The USA Guide was first introduced in 2003 and ranks the leading firms and lawyers in over 50 different practice areas and sectors throughout the country, including rankings in every state as well as additional regional and nationwide coverage. Law firms and individual lawyers are assessed on technical legal ability, professional conduct, client service, commercial astuteness, diligence, commitment and other qualities most valued by the client.
Chambers’ research, analysis and insight can be found at chambers.com.
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 in-person, virtual and hybrid resolution services locally and globally through a combination of industry-specific experience, first-class client service, the latest technology and highly trained mediators and arbitrators.
With a roster of over 400 neutrals and 29 locations, JAMS resolves thousands of the world’s important cases every year. JAMS neutrals are adept at managing the resolution process whether they are conducting in-person, virtual or hybrid hearings.
More information is available at www.jamsadr.com, and you can connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and our JAMS ADR blog. To learn about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at JAMS, visit www.jamsadr.com/diversity/.
