Biography
Linda R. Singer, Esq., a nationally-known class action neutral, has over 30 years of dispute resolution experience as an arbitrator, mediator, civil litigator, and a neutral evaluator. Recently she has resolved numerous multi-claimant disputes that could not be litigated as class actions.
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 resolved hundreds of the nation’s most challenging class and collective actions, including ERISA disputes, racial discrimination, securities, wage and hour, and many others.
Ms. Singer conducts seminars on the settlement of class actions and speaks on the subject at conferences nationwide. Her chapter on “Mediating Class Actions,” co-authored with JAMS neutral the late Margaret Shaw, was published by the Federal Judicial Center and the American Bar Association Section of Dispute Resolution in the ADR Handbook for Judges.
Representative Mediations
- 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
Representative Arbitrations
- 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
Special Master/Discovery Referee, Representative Matters
- Served as Special Master in a U.S. District Court class action against a New York prison
Supplementary Matters
- 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
- Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS
- 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, 2009-2022
- Recognized internationally by Who's Who Legal: Mediation, 2017-Present
- Women in Law 2017 Award, Lawyer Monthly
- "Lawyer Limelight: Linda Singer," Lawdragon, ADR Profile, March 30, 2014
- Recognized by Washington DC Super Lawyers, 2014-Present
- Former Chair, JAMS Board of Directors, 2013-2016
- 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
- Elected as a Neutral Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers
- Recognized as a Best Lawyer, Alternative Dispute Resolution Category, Best Lawyers in America, 2009-Present
- Member, CPR Panel of Distinguished Neutrals
- Co-author, “Mediating Class Actions,” published by the Federal Judicial Center and the ABA Section of Dispute Resolution in ADR Handbook for Judges
- Outstanding Achievement for ADR Education and Training, American College of Civil Trial Mediators
- Practical Achievement Award, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution
- CPR Book Award, Settling Disputes: Conflict Resolution in Business, Families, and the Legal System
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Former board member of Abramson Foundation
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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
- 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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- Class Action/Mass Tort
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