Mediator Resume

For 23 years worked as an attorney largely in the defense of architects and engineers. This included a myriad of economic loss and personal injury lawsuits in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, the largest of which was the arbitration involving Liberty Two in Philadelphia which arbitrated 10 hours a day, four days a week for six months. Argued successfully in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals - Knecht v. Sordoni Construction - which was won an appeal. Worked for Beazley Insurance 2007-2021 as head of the International Claims Group for Large AE's after initially serving as head of claims for mid- size AE firms.

Phelps Dunbar - Attorney

Attorney

Construction Group Attorney, Phelps Dunbar, 2021-2023; Head of International Claims Group, Large AE's, Beazley Insurance Co., 2007-2021; Partner and Executive committee member, Powell, Trachtman, 1996-2006; Partner/Attorney, Harvey, Pennington, Herting and Renneisen, 1983-1996; Project Manager, Williard Inc., 1981-1983; Project Manager, C. Kaufman Inc., 1976-1981. Adjunct professor of Construction Law at Penn State University, 1983-1992.

Worked for 14 years as a team leader for Beazley Insurance initially handling claims against mid size A/E firms and then managed claims against firms such as AECOM, Fluor, Bechtel and Jacobs. In that capacity became familiar with the arbitration of large claims whose value was often alleged to be in the billions. These are claims which were litigated in the U.S. and abroad. For more than 24 years litigated construction cases, primarily defending architects and engineers in civil matters valued at up to $40 million in Pennsylvania. and New Jersey at both the state and federal level. As project manager for 10 years (while attending college and law school in the evening), supervised all phases of mechanical construction. Projects included hospitals, nursing homes, hi rise office buildings, schools and hotels.

In the 24 years of litigating construction cases and during the 14 years of managing construction claims, have participated in an innumerable number of mediations involving claims with millions of dollars at stake and where multiple parties participated.

Mediation is a process which involves the education and enlightenment not only of the mediator but also of the parties. No lawyer has successfully anticipated all of the nuances of every case; a successful mediation will ferret out those nuances and dig into those and other factors driving settlement evaluation. Mediation summaries and other information from the parties on a confidential basis are requested prior to the mediation. By the time of the mediation itself, I expect to know the strengths and weaknesses of each party's case and I hope to get to know the litigants. The mediation itself is not the place to "learn" the case. I respect party autonomy in mediation and I only share my views when requested. I have learned that all participants deserve respect and that they deserve to be heard. I have also learned that mediations can be an effective tool in avoiding expensive litigation. If the parties have a genuine interest in settling the case then I believe I can facilitate the discussion in a meaningful way that will likely bring about a resolution.

Temple University (JD-1983; BA-1979, cum laude).

Admitted to the Bar: Pennsylvania (1983); New Jersey (1983); Florida (1985); District of Columbia (1986).

Pennsylvania and New Jersey Bar; Third Circuit Court of Appeals in the Federal Court; Supreme Court of the United States.

Within 30 miles of center city Philadelphia.

Hourly Rate: $475.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $475.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: 2 Days Comment: No charge for travel within 30 miles of Philadelphia.

English

United States of America

Yardley, Pennsylvania