Chicago – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce the addition of Hon. Mark J. Lopez (Ret.) to its panel. Judge Lopez joins JAMS and its prominent family law ADR team in Chicago after a 39-year legal career, including over 22 years of distinguished service in the Child Protection and Domestic Relations divisions of the Cook County Circuit Court. Judge Lopez presided over an independent, high-volume calendar both in person and over remote court call. He is accustomed to working with unrepresented litigants.
Based in the Chicago Resolution Center, Judge Lopez will serve as an arbitrator, mediator and special master/referee, handling family law disputes. He is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for attorneys and their clients across the country.
Judge Lopez is highly regarded and known for his active listening skills, his patience and his ability to understand and get to the heart of any dispute in order to find a resolution. We are thrilled to have him join JAMS and know he will make an impact in these delicate family law matters.
- Chris Poole, JAMS CEO
Judge Lopez served, by appointment of the Illinois General Assembly, on the Illinois Family Law Study Committee and contributed to the rewriting of the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act as well as the Parentage Act (2016). This legislation marked a major step forward in streamlining dissolution proceedings and updating the determination of parentage given scientific advancements in DNA testing and in vitro fertilization, as well as the legal recognition of civil unions and same-sex marriages since prior updates in the 1980s. Judge Lopez has tried and pre-tried thousands of family law cases and is a longtime proponent of mediation for family disputes.
Serving as a JAMS neutral allows me to use my dispute resolution experience and my understanding of the unique dynamics involved in family law to mediate equitable settlements that will bring closure to all. I’m excited for this next chapter of my career as a neutral at JAMS.
- Hon. Mark J. Lopez (Ret.)
Judge Lopez received his B.S. from the University of Illinois at Chicago and his J.D. from the Northern Illinois University College of Law.
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/.
