Irvine, Calif. – The JAMS Foundation honors Jay Folberg, Esq., for his tremendous service as JAMS Foundation Board chair as he steps down from the role after more than eight years. The organization welcomes his successor, Michael K. Lewis, Esq., who has a longstanding history with the JAMS Foundation, including serving on its board for nine years.
During his almost two decades with the Foundation, Mr. Folberg has leveraged his deep experience in dispute resolution to further the Foundation’s mission of supporting conflict resolution worldwide.
Mr. Folberg was a founding member and advisor during the Foundation’s inception in 2002 and served as executive director from 2002 to 2012. Following the death of JAMS founder Warren Knight, Mr. Folberg was selected to lead as JAMS Foundation Board chair in 2013 and has held that position until the present. He will continue to serve on the Board through May 2022.
“We cannot overstate our gratitude and appreciation for Jay’s leadership and guidance over the years. Jay is a true champion of ADR, and his work embodies the spirit of the Foundation in making the world a better place through conflict resolution,” said David Brandon, managing director of the JAMS Foundation. “We can truly say the JAMS Foundation would not be what it is today without Jay’s leadership.”
Mr. Lewis is widely recognized within the legal community for his exceptional ability to resolve the most complex disputes in virtually every area of law including business, public policy, employment, environment and government. Committed to helping others expand their ADR knowledge, he taught mediation for the Harvard Negotiation Institute for almost 30 years as well as mediation and negotiation at Georgetown University Law Center for over 20 years. Mr. Lewis served on the JAMS Foundation Board from 2010 to 2019 and rejoined it in May 2020.
“We are excited to welcome Michael as Board chair. We have valued his contributions as a board member for almost a decade and believe he will carry on Jay’s commitment to the JAMS Foundation’s mission,” added Mr. Brandon. “As the Foundation continues to support and develop initiatives that bring dispute resolution and mitigation tools to communities across the globe, we are fortunate to have the guidance of neutrals as thoughtful and brilliant as Jay and Michael.”
About the JAMS Foundation
The nonprofit JAMS Foundation was established in 2002 by JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution services worldwide. The mission of the JAMS Foundation is to provide financial assistance for conflict resolution initiatives with national and international impact and to share its dispute resolution expertise for the benefit of the public interest.
The Foundation is funded entirely by contributions from JAMS neutrals, executives and associates, and by a substantial annual donation from JAMS itself. To uphold the company’s core value of neutrality, the Foundation accepts no donations outside of JAMS. The Foundation is currently comprised of 300 principal benefactors and has provided more than $10 million in grant funding since its inception.
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/.
