Not all disputes end up in court. Either by contract or post-dispute agreement, parties regularly attempt to resolve their disputes through arbitration or facilitative mediation. Also, recognizing how costly and time consuming litigation can be, parties are increasingly resolving disputes through arbitration.
While arbitrators, mediators and facilitators all provide a valuable service to businesses, it is important to select the right type of intermediary with the kind of experience needed to secure the parties’ desired outcome. And in a sea of acronyms – AAA, FINRA, JAMS, ICC – having lawyers skilled in the rules, procedures and arbitration process makes all the difference.
Resolution of Significant and Sensitive Disputes
Dickinson Wright lawyers have participated in resolving some of the most significant and sensitive disputes. We have more than a dozen senior partners, including former judges, who regularly serve as arbitrators, mediators and facilitators. Respected for our high level of credibility and effective communication skills, our lawyers are at the top of their respective fields, with all the federal, state and tribunal certifications and years of dispute resolution experience to resolve a wide range of issues.
Experienced with a Broad Spectrum of Matters
• Automotive supplier and commercial disputes
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Banking,
securities and investor issues
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Commercial disputes, including noncompetition agreements, shareholder contests and “business divorces”
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Class actions
• Commercial arbitration
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Construction disputes
• Dealer/franchise arbitration
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Labor and employment disputes
• High-stakes/high-publicity disputes
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Insurance coverage issues
• Legal and medical malpractice
• Matrimonial and
family law disputes
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Mergers and acquisitions disputes
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Product Liability and personal injury claims
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Real estate disputes
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Securities matters
• Software and technology issues
Domestic and International Dispute Resolution
Dickinson Wright lawyers have facilitated settlements and served as arbitrators in hundreds of cases from coast-to-coast and internationally. Courts, agencies, counsel and frequently the parties themselves select us to resolve disputes. We also arbitrate and facilitate cases through court-administered case evaluation panels and are listed with many national panels, including the American Arbitration Association, National Arbitration Forum, FINRA and JAMS and the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution. Further, we draft and negotiate arbitration clauses and regularly assist clients with enforcing arbitration agreements; vacating, confirming or executing on an arbitration award; and handling arbitration appeals.
Prominent Positions in the Field
Many of the firm’s trial attorneys have been peer selected for the highest recognition in Chambers and Partners USA Best Lawyers in Their Field, Best Lawyers in America and Michigan Super Lawyers. Our arbitrators and mediators include:
Dennis W. Archer (Detroit) is a former Michigan Supreme Court Justice and former President of the American Bar Association, and Michigan Bar Association.
M. Reid Estes, Jr. (Nashville) is a Rule 31 certified mediator in Tennessee covering a broad range of issues, including FMLA, FLSA, Title VII, the Stored Communications Act, construction and breach of contract disputes, and insurance agency/business dispute cases.
Timothy H. Howlett (Detroit) is a member of the Panel of Employment Arbitrators for the American Arbitration Association and has presided over several high-profile employment cases.
Edward H. Pappas (Troy) is a former President of the State Bar of Michigan, a Fellow of the American College of Civil Trial Mediators who has completed over 250 complex commercial mediations, and an arbitrator on the American Arbitration Association’s Large Complex Case Panel.
Additionally, our lawyers have trained, taught and lectured on a wide array of dispute resolution topics and are active members of numerous professional and community organizations.
