Biography
Linda R. Singer, Esq., is a pioneer in the field of ADR, with a particular expertise in Complex Employment and Class Action cases. Ms. Singer is nationally known for settling class actions alleging discrimination in employment, housing, and education. She has over 30 years of dispute resolution experience as an arbitrator, mediator, civil litigator, and a neutral evaluator. Ms. Singer has served as a special master to the U.S. District Court, S.D.N.Y., and has been appointed as a mediator by numerous federal and state courts. Ms. Singer pioneered the development of mediation as a practice, training fellow mediators and lawyers throughout the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. She has designed ADR processes for private companies, court systems, and government agencies.
Ms. Singer has resolved matters in all types of civil litigation, including complex commercial, securities fraud, high-tech, insurance coverage, bankruptcy, products liability, antitrust, employment, civil rights, international, and environmental. Many of these complex, multi-party and class action cases have involved aggregate values in the hundreds of millions. She is described by attorneys who bring cases to her as “calm, tenacious, practical, and intelligent, with a talent for settling cases that no one else can.”
Representative Matters
Arbitration
- Arbitrated allegations of defamation and breach of contract under executives’ and physicians’ employment contracts
- Arbitrated breach of contract claims between franchisors and franchisees
- Arbitrated claims of disability discrimination against defense contractor
- Arbitrated claims of discrimination and breach of fiduciary obligations between an international law firm and a former partner
- Arbitrated claims of interference with first amendment rights and breach of settlement agreement against legacy airline
- Arbitrated claims of unfair competition between health insurers
- Arbitrated claims of wrongful termination against numerous employers
- Arbitrated disputes pursuant to long-term agreements between sales representatives and suppliers
- Arbitrated individual job relief claims under a class action settlement of racial discrimination claims in the utilities industry
- Arbitrated insurance claims by injured athletes against major league sports franchise
- Arbitrated multi-million dollar claims pursuant to the consent decree between Black Farmers and the United States Department of Agriculture
- Arbitrated putative consumer class actions over alleged anti-competitive conduct by leading telecommunications companies in the long distance telephone market
- Served as neutral chair of an arbitration panel to adjudicate the rights of leading Fortune 500 technology firms in long-term contracts for internet advertising
- Served as neutral chair of panel and resolved disputes over electronic discovery against major brokerage company and a former employee
Business/Commercial
- Conducted successful mediations between franchisors and franchisees in the food, retail, employment agency, and hotel industries
- Mediated allocation of assets and liabilities on sale of business
- Resolved claims of unfair competition and theft of trade secrets among high-tech and pharmaceutical former joint venturers and competitors
- Resolved insurance coverage disputes involving environmental, product liability, libel, and employment-related issues
- Resolved numerous multi-party cases involving the allocation of responsibility among federal, state, and municipal governments; parent companies and subsidiaries; and hundreds of private parties for cleaning up hazardous waste sites throughout the country. Matters involved recovery of past and future costs, site remediation, and technical impracticability.
- Resolved post-arbitration dispute over payment of a multi-million dollar liability among French and American manufacturers, insurers, and reinsurers
- Resolved unfair competition and theft of trade secrets among high-tech competitors
- Settled antitrust dispute among telecommunications companies over internet telephone directories
- Settled claims of redlining brought by housing discrimination organizations against a major insurance carrier
- Settled construction defect disputes and disputes among real estate developers
- Settled contract dispute between U.S. chemical supplier and Pakistani drug manufacturer involving conflicts between U.S. and Pakistani law
- Settled disputes between the U.S. Department of Justice and the owners of stadium theaters and hotel franchisors over accessibility under the American With Disabilities Act
- Settled fraud and contract claims among 13 health insurers, reinsurers, and brokers
- Settled in bankruptcy a class action for securities fraud against creditors of purchaser of multiple family businesses
- Settled multi-party contract dispute over the relocation of thousands of employees
- Settled multiple actions against banks and savings and loan associations brought by the FDIC and the Resolution Trust Corporation, including the restructuring of multi-million dollar loans
- Arbitrated claims of unfair competition between health insurers
- Arbitrated putative consumer class actions over alleged anti-competitive conduct by leading telecommunications companies in the long distance telephone market
Class Action/Mass Tort
- Settled numerous civil rights cases alleging race, sex, and disability discrimination in housing, employment, and education
- Settled tax refund class action against a major hospital system
- Settled eight year-old race discrimination class action against Merrill Lynch and held hearings to distribute the settlement fund amongst class members
- Federal and state class and collective class actions involving claims of wage and hour violations, with defenses of exemptions, against major retail insurance, financial and brokerage companies and universities
- A class action brought under the Fair Credit Reporting Act on behalf of 300,000 people who had adverse information concerning criminal records provided to potential employers
- A collective action against the Architect of the Capitol involving claims of unequal pay
- Alleged violations of ERISA involving the pension plans of a major pharmaceutical company
- As a member of panels established by Merrill Lynch & Co. and Salomon Smith Barney for resolving the claims of female brokers pursuant to the settlement of class actions, handled the claims of named plaintiffs and large producers
- Class action by female brokers against American Express Financial Advisors
- Class action by female engineers against CBS Radio
- Class action for securities fraud against creditors of purchaser of multiple family businesses
- Class actions alleging racial discrimination against major utilities, food services, and brokerage firms
- Class actions involving charges of racial and national origin discrimination against a telecommunications provider
- Disability class action against the U.S. Postal Service, in which the parties developed a process for the post-settlement resolution of individual claims
- Permanent mediator in class actions against the New York City public schools
- Separate class actions against the FDIC, the FBI, and NASA, all of which resolved allegations of racial discrimination in promotions
- Separate class actions brought by managers and unionized workers, which resolved claims of racial harassment and discrimination in hiring, training, and discipline against Amtrak
- Sexual harassment class action brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against an urban hospital
- Stockholders’ class action alleging securities fraud against a recently merged conglomerate
- Consumer class actions alleging illegal charges, hidden fees, deceptive sales and lending practices, and credit discrimination
- Multiple individual claims of race discrimination against a financial services company to distribute a settlement fund amongst class members
- Antitrust claims brought as consumer class actions against major telecommunications companies
- Multiple arbitrations under the settlement of a class action between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and African American farmers under the Equal Credit Opportunities Act
- Multiple claims for job relief pursuant to the settlement of a race discrimination class action against a public utility
- Served as Special Master in a U.S. District Court class action against a New York prison
- Designed and supervised the implementation of procedures to resolve hundreds of individual claims against major manufacturers and utilities, which resulted when federal courts declined to certify classes
Employment
- Numerous claims of retaliation by whistleblowers against their employers
- Class actions involving wage and hour violations, discrimination, and ERISA
- Breach of contract and discrimination claims between a national non-profit association and its executive director
- Claims alleging discrimination against working matters by financial services and law firms
- Claims of named plaintiffs and large producers arising out of class actions in the financial services and telecommunications industries
- Claims of sexual assault by employees against executives of international Fortune 500 companies
- Class or collective actions involving claims of discrimination against numerous private companies or federal agencies and their employees
- Disability discrimination claim against a health insurer
- Disputes between a financial services firm and its general counsel and associate general counsel
- Race and sex discrimination claims between on-air radio and television personalities, local stations, and networks
- Sexual harassment claim between a factory worker and a major aircraft company
- Sexual harassment complaints by restaurant workers against franchisees and chains
- Tenure disputes between professors and their universities
- Arbitrated claims of wrongful termination against numerous employers
- Arbitrated partnership dispute between a major international law firm and a terminated partner
- Arbitrated racial and religious discrimination claims against a major oil refinery
- Assisted the parties in designing and implementing procedures to resolve hundreds of individual claims when federal courts declined to certify classes or as part of the settlement of class actions
- Supervised the design and implementation of the pilot mediation programs now operated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Government Accountability Office, the Office of Congressional Compliance, and the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights
Environmental
- Facilitated the agreement among Freeport McMoran, the EPA, and the Enforcement and Defense Sections of the Justice Department for a historic cleanup of multiple uranium mines on Navajo lands
- Resolved numerous cases brought by state or federal environmental agencies in New York, New Jersey, Florida, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Ohio, Texas, New Hampshire, and Minnesota for the recovery of past and future costs of removing hazardous wastes from private manufacturing plants, defense facilities, and private and municipal landfills
- Resolved the allocation of liability for past costs and ongoing operation and maintenance of the Kramer Landfill in New Jersey. Parties included approximately 230 private manufacturers and transporters of waste, the City of Philadelphia, most Southern New Jersey municipalities, and federal and state environmental and enforcement agencies
- Resolved the appropriateness of existing remedies, plans for ongoing remediation, and cost recovery at the BROS Superfund Site in New Jersey. Parties included several U.S. and state agencies, as both plaintiffs and defendants, and approximately 80 private parties
- Resolved the federal and state governments’ cost recovery action against 10 private defendants in Houston, Texas, together with the allocation of responsibility among the defendants
- Resolved the modification of a groundwater treatment methodology and compensation to affected landowners and municipalities in Maine. Parties involved federal, state and local governments; local water authorities; electric utilities; businesses; churches and school districts; and environmental advocacy groups
- Settled dispute over reopeners concerning the remediation of the New Bedford, Massachusetts Harbor
Memberships & Affiliations
- Former Chair, JAMS Board of Directors, 2013-2016
- Elected as a Neutral Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
- Member, CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals
- Practical Achievement Award, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution
- Former board member of Abramson Foundation
- Former board member of Consensus Building Institute
- Former board member: JAMS Foundation
- Former member or Board Chair: HASNA Foundation; Board of Governors, District of Columbia Bar; D.C. Judicial Nomination Commission
- Visiting or adjunct faculty member of Law Schools of Georgetown, Harvard, Stanford, George Washington, University of California at Los Angeles, University of New Mexico, and American Universities; trainer for CPR International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution
Selected Awards & Honors
- Recognized in the 2018 National Law Journal Alternative Dispute Resolution Champions
- Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, in the practice area of Arbitration and Mediation, 2009-Present
- Recognized internationally by Who's Who Legal: Mediation, 2017-Present
- Women in Law Award, Lawyer Monthly, 2017
- "Lawyer Limelight: Linda Singer," Lawdragon, ADR Profile, March 30, 2014
- Recognized by Washington DC Super Lawyers, 2014-Present
- Recognized as a Top Rated Lawyer in Alternative Dispute Resolution, The National Law Journal, 2013-Present
- Recipient of the D’Alemberte/Raven Award from the Dispute Resolution Section of the ABA, 2012
- Selected by Who’s Who Legal as one of the world’s leading Commercial Mediators, 2012-Present
- Selected to the Martindale-Hubbell® Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers, 2012-Present
- National Panel of Distinguished Neutrals, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution
- Recognized as a Best Lawyer, Alternative Dispute Resolution Category, Best Lawyers in America, 2009-Present
- CPR Book Award, Settling Disputes: Conflict Resolution in Business, Families, and the Legal System
- Outstanding Achievement for ADR Education and Training, American College of Civil Trial Mediators
- Former Chair, JAMS Board of Directors
- Former Member, JAMS Foundation Board
Selected Publications
- Co-author, “Mediating Class Actions,” published by the Federal Judicial Center and the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution in ADR Handbook for Judges
- “Settling Disputes: Conflict Resolution in Business, Families, and the Legal System” (1990, 1994, 2018)
- Principal, ADR Associates, LLC
- President, non-profit Center for Dispute Settlement
- Partner, Lichtman, Trister, Singer & Ross, Washington, D.C.
- Partner, Goldfarb and Singer
- Faculty, Harvard's Program of Instruction for Lawyers at the Program on Negotiation
- J.D., with highest honors, George Washington University Law School
- B.A., magna cum laude, Harvard University
Counsel Comments
- “I wish to take this opportunity to recognize and express deepest appreciation for your work in assisting the successful settlement efforts of the parties. You helped hundreds of litigants perform a nearly impossible task and you have served the public interest well.”
- Federal District Court Judge - “The personal dynamic was particularly challenging, and your tireless efforts were critical in finally resolving this.”
- Partner, Top 30 National Law Firm - “You kept everyone at the table and the ball in the air in circumstances that were highly volatile. Few mediators would have been up to the task.”
- Senior Official, Federal Agency - “Please let me once again thank you for all of your hard and successful work in bringing about a resolution. You were savvy at all times and tough when you needed to be. It is my sincere belief that very few other mediators, if any, could have settled this difficult environmental dispute.”
- New York-based Partner, Top 100 National Law Firm - “Everyone on our side of the case was greatly impressed with your work, and realizes that we could not have gotten this case settled without your help.”
- Partner, Connecticut Law Firm - “Linda Singer was the best arbitrator that I have appeared before. She had an excellent grasp of all relevant legal issues and quickly assimilated a myriad of documents and facts. Throughout the process she treated counsel and the witnesses with her friendly demeanor that put everyone at ease.”
- Partner, DC Law Firm - “I wanted to thank you, on behalf of my client and myself, for your superb assistance in reaching settlement. I have no doubt at all that, but for your involvement, it wouldn’t have happened. You’ve saved everyone considerable grief and expense.”
- Name Partner, DC Law Firm - “Thank you for your assistance in facilitating the parties’ agreement. Frankly, I don’t know how you did it.”
- Partner, New Jersey Law Firm - “We were able to reach a mutually agreeable settlement based upon your tremendous and tireless efforts during our day long mediation session in Chicago.”
- Partner, Top 100 National Law Firm - “We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for the excellent efforts of Linda Singer, whose expertise greatly facilitated the conclusion of extremely complex negotiations between the parties.”
- Partners, Top Maryland Law Firm - "Many, many thanks for your mediation of this settlement. We truly could not have done it without you and your deft hand in pushing the parties where we needed to go, and your persistence in keeping things moving forward over these months. I hope we are able to work together again soon!" - Civil Rights Attorney
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Practice Areas
- Arbitration
- Business/Commercial
- Civil Rights
- Class Action/Mass Tort
- Employment
- Environmental
- Federal Law
- Higher Education & Title IX
- Personal Injury/Torts
- Training/Teaching
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