Irvine, Calif. – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce that the College of Commercial Arbitrators (CCA) has chosen four JAMS neutrals to become fellows as part of the 2024 class: Steven M. Bauer, Esq., FCIArb; Hon. Michael Massengale (Former), FCIArb; Andrew D. Ness, Esq., FCIArb; and Roderick M. Thompson, Esq.
The goal of the CCA Fellows program is to admit those who have distinguished themselves as commercial arbitrators and have a strong interest in furthering the mission of the College. Fellows must commit to being active members of the CCA who are engaged in CCA activities and public service endeavors. The CCA is an invitation-only organization that provides a meaningful contribution to the profession, the public, the legal sector and the businesses that implement commercial arbitration as a means of dispute resolution.
These four neutrals have worked to distinguish themselves as ADR professionals, and they have all spent significant time honing their craft and using their experience to help resolve disputes within the commercial legal space. We congratulate them on their selection as Fellows, and we are proud to support them as they continue to excel within the legal community.
- Chris Poole, JAMS CEO
Steve Bauer is recognized for his ability to resolve life sciences and technology-related disputes. Mr. Bauer’s matters most often involve complex commercial agreements relating to R&D, technology collaboration, and IP licensing, as well as patent, trade secret, trademark and copyright matters. He joined JAMS after a distinguished career at Proskauer, a New York-based international law firm, where he co-chaired the firm's 200-lawyer Litigation Department and its 50-lawyer Patent and Intellectual Property Group.
Michael Massengale joined JAMS in 2020 after serving as an appellate justice on the First Court of Appeals in Houston. He is also a former trial partner at Baker Botts. His ADR practice is focused on domestic and international arbitration of commercial disputes, especially involving energy, and he has been appointed to serve as an arbitrator in over 90 disputes. During his judicial service, Justice Massengale participated in the resolution of thousands of appeals and wrote more than 600 signed opinions in a wide range of legal disputes.
Andrew Ness brings 40 years of domestic and international experience in resolving complex business disputes, with deep experience in construction, engineering, design and energy issues. A JAMS neutral since 2019, Mr. Ness is an arbitrator, mediator, neutral evaluator and dispute review board member focused on effective and efficient dispute resolution. A consummate professional, he is known for cutting through entrenched positions to find creative, practical solutions.
Rod Thompson applies his deep experience in complex commercial litigation from three different perspectives—as a trial lawyer, mediator and arbitrator—to efficiently resolve even the most difficult cases. Before joining JAMS, Mr. Thompson was an associate and then partner at a large, international law firm for the first 20 years of his career, focused on antitrust, competition and intellectual property litigation. For the next 20 years, he was a partner at a midsize Bay Area law firm known for success and its willingness to represent plaintiffs, as well as defendants, in high-stakes commercial litigation.
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 450 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 LinkedIn, Facebook, X and our JAMS ADR blog. To learn about diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at JAMS, visit www.jamsadr.com/diversity/.