Mediator Resume

An adjunct professor of ADR, first at Rutgers Law School where taught International ADR until 2020 and in 2018 adjunct at St. John's Law School where taught ADR Advocacy and, to date, Commercial Arbitration. Since 2010, predominantly a full-time neutral and limited my practice accordingly.

Law Offices of Sheryl Mintz Goski, PA

Attorney

Law Offices of Sheryl Mintz Goski PA, 2010 - Present; Managing Director (2004) and Chairperson of the Commercial Litigation Department/Director/Shareholder, Herold & Haines, 1999 - 2010; Partner, Ravin Sarasohn Cook Baumgarten Fisch & Baime, 1994 - 1999; Senior Associate, Pitney Hardin Kipp & Szuch, 1990 - 1994; Associate, Greenbaum Rowe & Smith, 1987 - 1990; Associate, Cravath Swaine & Moore, 1987; Federal Law Clerk, 1985 - 1987.

Since 2010, practice is almost 100% neutral work - arbitration and mediation - with most referrals from attorneys on prior cases and United States District Judges. When engaged in private practice (1985 - 2010), was primarily engaged in the litigation of the areas of law identified below. Fifty percent (50%) of practice was in construction law, primarily representing general contractors and some owners, developers, homeowners, public agencies, and suppliers/manufacturers, involving private residential, commercial and industrial projects. Handled substantial construction matters on behalf of general contractors, owners, and manufacturers of equipment incorporated into construction such as delay claims, construction defect claims, and public bidding disputes. Counsel to various specialty chemicals companies in areas of insurance coverage and allocation of such coverage. Expertise also includes allocation of responsibility, contamination (investigation and characterization), site remediation, and matters involving Superfund sites. Specific Areas of Insurance Coverage Expertise include: - Allocation of loss among multiple insurers - Primary/excess issues - Trigger issues and number of occurrences - Exhaustion of policy limits - Toxic torts and hazardous wastes coverage - Casualty and environmental coverage - Professional liability coverage - Employer liability coverage - Various other first-and third-party coverage - Complex Construction and Commercial. In more recent years have handled consumer claims involving premises liability; products liability; discrimination; motor vehicle accidents; medical malpractice, other personal injury cases on a mediated and arbitrated basis with great success towards final resolution. In 2025, awarded Richmond County (Staten Island New York) Mediator of the Year.

Handled scores of consumer arbitration cases involving homeowners/ contractors; products liability; motor vehicle accidents; premises liability (slips and falls); discrimination; disability claims; class actions involving service providers and product defects. Most cases settle quickly; Mediator ensures that the persons with authority from both the consumer and the company side are present and ready to negotiate.

Construction cases have involved issues such as responsibility for changes in the design or the selection of materials in the context of home repairs, as well as design build and lump sum contracts. Employment claims have involved issues of whether the employee was terminated for cause or for a pretextual reason in response to a whistle blower assertion. Also mediated issue of other employee benefits such as disability, pursuant to employee benefits plans and insurance policies. Long term disability claims involved the scope of the disability policy, the definition of inability to work, and whether the alleged limitation fit within that definition, as well as whether it was a continuing condition. Insurance coverage issues related to placement of first party insurance and involved whether replacement cost was to be procured vs. whether such more extensive coverage was available or feasible in the particular market or under the circumstances, as well as the expectations of the insured and whether those expectations were conveyed to the insurer by the broker. Also, insurance coverage issues related to policies of disability insurance, accidental death or ERISA benefits. Contract dispute between a third party administrator of health insurance claims and the health insurer, HMO under an agreement whereby the TPA business was sold to the HMO. Also experienced in contact disputes between vendors and owners. AAA mediation has included business contract disputes, homeowner/ developer disputes, leasehold, environmental responsibility and allocation and real estate contract disputes. Every AAA matter mediated has been resolved in one day.

My philosophy is that mediation should be used in a way that will be effective and will be economical. Most of the mediations post 2020 and continuing to date are conducted remotely. I will send a calendar invite with the Zoom link to ease scheduling and participation by attorneys, if applicable, and clients. I set up separate breakout rooms for each side and sometimes a confidential room in which I might speak privately to an attorney. I quickly get to the bottom line for each side and resolve expeditiously. I feel that every case should be resolved and statistically will be resolved prior to an adjudication. I have a very good success rate. I also believe in frankness (in confidential breakout room settings).

Very proficient in handling all mediations and arbitrations remotely for more than five years; also technically proficient in handling exhibits / sharing of information and documents; can easily shift from breakout room to breakout room and joint sessions; and nimble in rescheduling when unexpected issues arise.

Rutgers University at Newark (JD, with honors-1985); University of Albany (BA, summa cum laude-1978). London School of Economics & Political Science.

Admitted to the Bar: Florida (2015), District of Columbia (1986), New York (1986), New Jersey (1985). Certified Arbitrator and Mediator, U.S. District Court: District of New Jersey, Certified Circuit Mediator in the State of Florida.

Since 2006, nominated to the 'Superlawyers' / 'Best Lawyers' for ADR; Construction; and Insurance Coverage; Chairperson New Jersey Supreme Court Committee on Attorney Advertising; District Ethics and Fee Arbitration Committees; International Institute for Conflict Prevention and Resolution (Mediator Insurance Coverage Panel); International Mediation Institute (IMI) Certified Mediator, Member of the New Jersey Supreme Court Committee Attorney Advertising since 2006; Member Hudson County Fee Arbitration Panel

International Arbitration Seminar, Center for International Legal Studies, Salzburg, Austria, June 2006. Adjunct Professor, Rutgers Law School - Newark, teaching International Alternative Dispute Resolution, Teacher Representative for International Chamber of Commerce Mediation Competition Rutgers Law School, Paris, France Since 2009 and each date thereafter; coach to the Rutgers Law Team, quarter finalist. In addition to Rutgers Law School, Adjunct Professor at St. John's Law School teaching the Dispute Resolution Society Intense Summer ADR Advocacy Course as well as the St. John's Commercial Arbitration Course both to law students and international graduate law students.

In New York, New Jersey or Florida without Additional Compensation for Travel if proximate to office/ home (Southeast Florida)

Hourly Rate: Not provided Daily Rate: $2,000.00 Study Rate: $305.00/hr Cancellation: $1,000.00/Day Cancellation Period: 1 Days Comment: Hourly rate charged for mediations that involve matters in dispute over $25,000; for matters in dispute of less than that amount, $275 Per Hour. Travel: Willing to serve at no travel charge in South Florida.

English

United States of America

Boca Raton, Florida