Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is proud to announce that Chris Poole, JAMS CEO, has been selected as the recipient of the National Association of Women Judges’ 2023 Mattie Belle Davis Award.
Presented annually, the award recognizes a member of the National Association of Women Judges (NAWJ) who has gone above and beyond his or her role as a member and volunteer to help make a difference in the organization and further its mission. The award is named for the Honorable Mattie Belle Davis, who was the first woman in Florida and the second woman nationally to be elected as a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation. She was a trailblazer for women in law and a beacon of personal achievement, perseverance and dedication.
The NAWJ is an organization dedicated to promoting the judicial role of protecting the rights of individuals under the rule of law through strong, committed, diverse judicial leadership; fairness and equality in the courts; and equal access to justice.
Each year, this award is given to an individual who embodies the spirit and determination of Judge Davis and remains resolute in their commitment to advancing and supporting women judges. We’d like to honor Chris Poole for his work in helping to secure funding from the JAMS Foundation to support refugee Afghan women judges living in the United States.
- Judge Toni E. Clarke (Ret.), president of the NAWJ
In June of this year, the JAMS Foundation announced a $145,000 grant to provide urgently needed financial support for Afghan women judges currently residing in the United States due to the Taliban’s takeover in Afghanistan. This grant provided financial support to help cover their basic needs (including food, housing assistance and health care). The NAWJ consulted on the development of this emergency relief program.
Mr. Poole, who joined JAMS in 2007 as CEO, has led the organization through unprecedented growth. In his role, he works closely with senior management and the highly trained JAMS panelists to further the mission of JAMS to help resolve the most challenging disputes and to give back to the communities in which it operates. He serves as president of the JAMS Foundation, which has provided more than $12 million to conflict prevention and dispute resolution initiatives across the United States and around the world.
The award presentation will take place at the NAWJ Annual Conference from October 5 to 7 in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can learn more about the awards presented by the NAWJ here.
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 30 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/.