Biography
Eric Van Loon brings years of experience to every resolution. A full-time dispute resolution professional since 1989, he has more than 20,000 hours of experience in 42 states and eight countries as a mediator, arbitrator, speaker, and trainer specializing in complex, multi-party, high-stakes disputes and is listed in "Best Lawyers in America" for Alternative Dispute Resolution.
Van Loon has successfully mediated and arbitrated a broad range of employment matters involving highly sensitive interpersonal dynamics and difficult factual, legal, and business issues. Matters include terminations of CEOs, company founders, senior (and less-senior) personnel, males and females; allegations of disability, age, and gender discrimination and sexual abuse; dissolutions of family businesses and closely held corporations. Issues have included whistle-blowing; grounds, manner, and announcement of termination; confidentiality, benefit packages, and non-competes.
Representative Matters
- Arbitration. Sole arbitrator in international company termination of U.S. subsidiary CEO. Issues included executive discretion, interaction with regulatory personnel, finance, whistle-blower claim.
- Banking. Termination of senior loan officer after bank merger. Issues included termination grounds/terms, policy differences, interpersonal dynamics, nature of public announcement.
- Biotech. Highly contentious biotech startup company termination of CEO. Issues included board factions, investor relations, proprietary information, stock options, non-disparagement.
- Discriminatory Discharge. Senior female executive dismissed for misconduct, while male colleagues retained. Alleged diabetic taunting after seizure, alleged pretextual termination.
- Division Heads. At Board request, resolved division heads-CEO dispute regarding management style, communication, inclusiveness, responsibilities, and revenue allocation among units.
- Employee Regulatory Compliance. Environmental, U.S. Patriots Act, securities trading, SEC.
- Entertainment. Eight-figure settlement between international industry-leader company and long-time senior executive; highly-charged issues of performance, severance, benefits, royalties, payouts.
- Health Care. Large medical institution/senior manager settlement of employment terms (length/compensation) and termination, including executive authority scope, citizenship status.
- Holding Company. Industrial holding company/executive settlement regarding component company purchase option. Issues of timing, valuation, termination package, representations.
- Independent Contractor. Three-way settlement between employee (later independent contractor), documentary producer, and scientific-educational institution re roles in developing/marketing/producing television programs. Corporate opportunity and officer supervisory issues.
- Professional Services. Settled extremely acrimonious dispute between firm and founder terminated for cause by management committee. Issues included grounds, founder's name use, non-compete scope, goodwill value, other senior principals, and future sale contingency.
- Sexual Abuse. Terminated employee’s child abused by company-hired support staff.
- Software. Large international company/long-time professional settlement re termination, non-compete, trade secrets, and ownership of software program developed before termination.
- Successor Ownership. Business founders/subsequent owners settlement re management responsibilities, patent/customer info ownership, consultancy vs. termination with non-compete.
Completed Virtual ADR training conducted by the JAMS Institute, the training arm of JAMS.
- Recognized internationally by Who's Who Legal: Mediation, 2018
- Best Lawyers in America, 2014-2022
- Distinguished Fellow, International Association of Mediators
- Named "Entertainment Industry Power Mediator" by Hollywood Reporter Esquire
- Elected Town Moderator, Concord, MA
- Member: ABA Sections on Dispute Resolution, International Law; Association for Conflict Resolution; FDIC, USEPA Superfund Pilot Program, and Library of Congress Copyright Arbitration Royalty panels
- Board Member: MA Bar Foundation, Schweitzer Fellowship, Jericho Road Project
- Lecturer on ADR at national/international forums: ABA, American Corporate Counsel Association, CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution, International Bar Association, World Economic Forum Mid-East North African Qatar Summit, Nigerian International Insurance Summit keynote, and in Canada, Hong Kong, Japan; published in ABA Dispute Resolution magazine
- Massachusetts Undersecretary, Economic Affairs; Assistant Secretary, Environmental Affairs
- Seven-year federal litigation legal practice
- J.D., cum laude, Harvard Law School, 1971
- M.Sc., London School of Economics, 1968
- A.B., Phi Beta Kappa, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1967
Counsel Comments
- "The tenacity, energy and diplomacy you brought to the negotiation allowed you to be successful where many earlier efforts had failed."
- COO of Major Company
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- Accounting/Finance
- Arbitration
- Banking
- Business/Commercial
- Civil Rights
- Class Action/Mass Tort
- Construction
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- Energy/Utility
- Engineering and Construction
- Entertainment and Sports
- Environmental
- Federal Law
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- Governmental/Public Agency
- Health Care
- Indian Law
- Insurance
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- International & Cross-Border
- Personal Injury/Torts
- Professional Liability
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- Surety
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