Indianapolis – JAMS, the largest private provider of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services worldwide, is pleased to announce the addition of Hon. Heather A. Welch (Ret.) to its panel. Judge Welch joins JAMS after serving for 23 years on the Marion Superior Court (Indianapolis), including service as an Indiana commercial court judge for almost eight years and the presiding judge of the Marion Superior Court during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During her time on the bench, Judge Welch presided over commercial and business disputes and managed a civil docket comprising over 2,000 cases, including complex product liability, medical and legal malpractice, construction and personal injury matters. She also held many leadership roles, including presiding judge of the Marion Superior Court, chair-elect of the ABA Judicial Division, president of the Indiana Judges Association, elected member of the American Law Institute and legal writing adjunct professor at Indiana University McKinney School of Law.
Judge Welch will serve as an arbitrator, mediator, special master/referee, neutral evaluator and hearing officer, handling business/commercial, class action/mass tort, construction, cybersecurity and privacy, employment, health care, insurance, personal injury/torts, product liability, professional liability, real estate and real property, and sports and entertainment cases. She is available to conduct sessions in person, as well as virtually, for clients across the country.
Over her many years of practice, Judge Welch has built a reputation for her ability to quickly navigate complex business and negligence matters. She has a wealth of experience across many areas of the law and is a respected leader within the Indiana legal community.
- Chris Poole, JAMS CEO
While serving on the Marion Superior Court, Judge Welch was appointed to the Indiana Resuming Court Operations Committee, which was created to provide Indiana trial court judges with guidance and information on how to operate state trial courts during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also appointed to the Indiana Innovation Initiative Civil Litigation Taskforce, which was created to consider and make recommendations to the Indiana Supreme Court on more efficient handling of civil litigation. She is a frequent presenter on matters related to trials and the Indiana court system.
Reaching the heart of any dispute requires the ability to sift through key evidence and materials while balancing and understanding the needs of the parties. This is a skill that I believe I have fine-tuned over my career, and I look forward to applying my knowledge in my new role in ADR.
- Hon. Heather A. Welch (Ret.)
Judge Welch earned her B.S. from the Indiana University Kelley School of Business and her J.D. from the Valparaiso University School 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 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/.