R. Wayne Thorpe, Esq. has been a full-time ADR neutral since 1998. He has worked on arbitrations and mediations involving businesses and governments and their activities in numerous non-US countries: Bahamas, Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Great Britain, Iraq, Israel, India, Japan, Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Taiwan, and Thailand.
Mr. Thorpe has been a full-time ADR neutral since 1998. He has served as mediator, arbitrator, facilitator, special master, and case evaluator in over 1500 cases in at least 15 states. These engagements have included mediations in class action, MDL, mass tort, and other large scale multi-party cases, as well as more than 400 arbitrations as sole arbitrator, panel chair, or party-appointed arbitrator.
Mr. Thorpe was named by the Best Lawyers in America publication as the 2012 Atlanta Mediation Lawyer of the Year, and he is listed in International Who’s Who of Commercial Mediation, (less than 100 in the US), Best Lawyers in America, and Georgia Super Lawyers. He is Past Chair of the ABA Dispute Resolution Section, and before he became a full-time neutral, Mr. Thorpe was a litigation partner in an Atlanta-based national law firm.
Representative Matters
- Mediation of serious injury on board cruise ship while in port in Bahamas
- Mediation of dispute over aircraft engine lease (secured by international letter of credit) to Bangladeshi customer
- Arbitration of alleged US $100 M claim by terminated CEO against Brazilian public company and US and Canadian subs
- Mediation of licensing dispute between US and Canadian health care companies about distribution of wellness program in Africa, South America, Asia, and Western Europe; third party dispute with non-US investors including South Africans
- Mediation of IP and non-compete/non-solicit dispute between architectural firm and former employees concerning business activities in China
- Mediation of dispute between German auto manufacturer and publicly owned US dealer
- Arbitrations of cases among businesses under multi-level distribution agreements concerning alleged breaches based upon operations in India
- Mediation of dispute between US distributor and Indian and Thai manufacturer concerning distribution of industrial product in North and South America
- Personal injury claim against government contractor arising from work in Iraqi war zone
- Mediation of product liability claim against Israeli pharmaceutical manufacturer
- Wrongful death claim by estate of US soldier killed in Japan by allegedly defective mechanical security door manufactured by UK defense contractor
- Trade secrets dispute between Korean company and former employees in US
- Arbitration of dispute between general and sub-contractors on military weapons system built for a government in the Middle East
- Dispute between American retailer and Taiwanese computer manufacturer
- Mediation of several disputes between US auto manufacturer and US dealers concerning alleged unlawful export sales