Mediator Resume

Served 40 years as an energy and chemical industry in-house counsel, which included management responsibility for business litigation and ADR, Participant understands well the factors that must be considered in selecting a proper ADR neutral. Chief amongst these factors is determining which candidate will be empathetic to a party's position and fair in facilitating a settlement or reaching a final decision. Additionally, the candidate must bring credibility to the ADR process and be able to communicate comfortably and effectively with people from diverse backgrounds. Participant has developed these qualities over a broad based legal career, and hopes to have the privilege of serving as a neutral in your ADR matter.

GBClassonADR LLC - President

Arbitrator, Mediator

President, GBClassonADR LLC, 2003-Present; Retired Senior Counsel, Solvay USA Inc., 2000-2021, Corporate Finance Counsel, Rhodia SA, 2005-2008; Corporate Counsel, Metallgesellschaft (MG), 1994-1999; Corporate Counsel, AroChem Corporation, 1989-1994; Associate General Counsel, Transworld Oil America Inc., 1981-1989.

Expertise in the following fields, representative transactions and matters, and the management of related disputes, arbitrations and litigation: Chemicals: Contract with global mining customer for long term supply of patented chemical to increase in alumina refining process efficiency, together with accompanying limited IP license, for use in dedicated refinery process unit; sale of formulated resins business subsidiary for a base cash purchase price plus earn-out based upon prospective growth; purchase of partner’s interest in a cellulose acetate flake manufacturing JV in exercise of right-of-first-refusal following partner’s termination of JV; acquisition of microbial strain library and related IP assets from for use in the production of n-butanol from biomass; lease and purchase of land at host petrochemical refinery for construction and operation of a guest alkoxylation production facility, together with related ethylene oxide supply and plant service agreements with host; term contract for supply of derivatized guar oil field chemicals to leading oilfield service company; custom pharmaceutical ingredient development and manufacturing agreements; closure of last US bulk aspirin manufacturing facility and settlement of lease and operating agreement liabilities with plant site host. Energy/Bankruptcy/Management: Merchant-market, petroleum product supply terms with fixed index pricing and cash settlement options for compliance with consent decree settling alleged Commodity Exchange Act violations; natural gas prepaid forward sale contract, ISDA, deposit and variation margin agreements with bank counterparty, subsequently sold together with offshore oil and gas production subsidiary; petroleum trading contracts in physical and derivative markets (both OTC and futures); consent decree with U.S. EPA containing remediation work milestones, settling alleged NYPDES permit violations; management of headquarters and plant staff of approximately 120 through Chapter 11 and Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceedings, with responsibility for liquidating petroleum inventories to pay on-going company expenses through eventual sale of company’s plant assets. Finance: Provided legal support to treasury and finance colleagues throughout career with the negotiation, implementation and administration of a variety of financial transactions. Representative agreements include: syndicated, corporate level, working capital credit facilities and related, worldwide security and fixed asset and real estate collateral packages; bi-lateral, subsidiary-level, credit lines; secured working capital finance facilities for discreet business activities; publicly listed, high yield, floating rate corporate notes; receivable sale and securitization programs, equipment financing leases; supplier and customer supply chain finance facilities; grid promissory note-based loans for letters of credit; customer account agreements for futures contract trading.

Active since 2023 as a Qualified Rule 1:40 mediator for civil disputes in the New Jersey Superior Court presumptive mediation program. Over 50 court appointments to mediate settlement of a broad range of civil litigation matters, with over 20 mediations conducted.

Disputes concerning - 1) liability under home remodeling contracts, including allegations of Consumer Fraud Act violations 2) scope of homeowner casualty insurance 3) commercial warehouse liability for stolen truck cargo of designer goods 4) HVAC maintenance and repair contract performance 5) allegations of wrongful commercial lease termination 6) default under notes and related personal guarantees made to finance acquisition of hospital 7) division of assets owned by cohabitating couple following break-up 8) personal injury liability resulting from alleged negligence associated with slip-and-fall, auto/pedestrian collision, casino and supermarket operations 9) liability for alleged breach under gasoline station purchase agreement 10) nonpayment under COVID vacine supply contract with nursing home facility 11) credit card agreement default 12) fees for medical services under lawyers letter of protection

Throughout any mediation the parties must maintain confidence in the process and their ability to make use of it, and my services as a mediator, to find a mutually agreeable settlement to their dispute. I support this by keeping litigants focused on the opportunity that mediation affords them to “bury-the-hatchet” and to move on to more productive pursuits in their lives, their business, and, potentially, the future of their relationship with one another. I am respectful of litigant confidences and I am empathetic to their respective legal positions and opinions. I want counsel to provide me with mediation statements that cogently present legal arguments and essential facts to educate me about the case and which I will then use to seek openings for a dialogue that will lead to a resolution. I will make evaluative observations when I believe a party might be overlooking a strength or deficiency in its legal position and which might be contributing to an inability to find a compromise. Having long practiced as a transactional attorney I want to diffuse polarization and to facilitate the parties’ movement to the center in an effort to find a deal.

Working familiarity with Zoom; have also worked in Microsoft Teams; willing to conduct on-line hearings.

Hofstra University, Maurice A. Deane School of Law (JD-1981); Tufts University (BA, Philosophy-1978).

Admitted to the Bar: New York (1982); US District Court: Southern District of New York (2023); New Jersey (2025).

Fellow, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; New York State Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section (appointed Treasurer 08/24); New Jersey Association of Professional Mediators; The Maritime Law Association of the United States; Garibaldi Inn (American Inns of Court).

WIthin 60 miles of Princeton, NJ, excluding New York City and Philadelphia, for which two locations travel expenses will be charged.

Hourly Rate: $450.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $450.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: Not provided Comment: Compensation rates, established by the AAA, are set forth in the applicable Consumer Mediation Procedures.

English

United States of America

Princeton, New Jersey