Legal and subject matter expertise are givens, but temperament and demeanor are also critically important.
ARBITRATION
I am a nationally recognized commercial arbitrator, having presided over complex commercial, healthcare, and insurance disputes. I bring legal acumen, trial lawyer experience, business skills, and subject matter expertise into each client engagement.
Over the past decade, I have served as sole arbitrator, panel chair, and panel member in a significant number of complicated and substantial disputes.
– Case Management Skills
Parties usually choose arbitration rather than court litigation for three reasons:
- It delivers a quicker resolution
- It’s less expensive
- To benefit from the arbitrator’s subject matter expertise
Too often, those advantages are not realized because arbitrators allow excessive discovery and scheduling delays. That cannot be allowed to happen. While I respect the need for appropriate discovery and occasional scheduling delays, I move cases along and will not grant requests for large numbers of depositions or interrogatories.
I take my responsibility seriously to see that parties realize these advantages of arbitration. I make myself available upon short notice and move my matters along quickly while giving parties a fair opportunity to present their cases.
– A Party Focus
I strive to work with parties and their counsel to attain an appropriate balance of efficiency and fairness regardless of the size or complexity of the matter.
I am responsive and make myself available to promptly render decisions. Through my approach and demeanor, I create an environment that maximizes the likelihood that clients and counsel feel they are treated fairly and respectfully.
– Nuanced Approach
Having been advocate, client, and neutral, I appreciate all the pressures and challenges facing counsel, clients, and witnesses. This affords me a rare ability to reassure dispute participants who are faced with a dispute that too often creates significant professional and personal pressures.
Representative Arbitrations:
Class action E&O coverage dispute involving insurers
Numerous significant Payor/Provider disputes involving:
(a) health insurer changes to reimbursement or coverage;
(b) coding issues by labs, pharmacies, and physicians;
(c) terminations of contractual participation relationships.
Physician shareholder and partnership breakups or dissolution disputes
Multi-million dollar contractual disputes between provider organizations and vendors (e.g., general purchasing agents; administrative and management operations vendors)
Major arbitrations involving reinsurance coverage and/or notice requirements
Emergency relief matters (temporary restraining orders/preliminary injunctive relief) with very quick turnarounds