Agency for Dispute Resolution Neutrals Jeff Benz, Gary Benton, Deborah Masucci, and Peter Robinson to Present at Upcoming American Bar Association (ABA) Meetings

Los Angeles, California - April 14, 2015.

Agency for Dispute Resolution neutrals Jeff Benz, Gary Benton, Deborah Masucci and Peter Robinson will deliver presentations on alternative dispute resolution, specifically arbitration, before the American Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section annual meeting in Seattle on April 16, 2015. Jeff will also be presenting on April 17, 2015 at the American Bar Association Business Law Section annual meeting in San Francisco. Jeff’s presentation will focus on US ADR practices in sports disputes. Gary’s presentation focus on uses of ADR in technology disputes. Deborah’s presentation will focus on dispute resolution among underrepresented groups. Peter’s presentation will focus on designing appellate mediation programs.

“We are pleased and proud that these Agency for Dispute Resolution neutrals were selected to present in their areas of expertise at these prestigious meetings of leading ADR practitioners in North America,” said Agency for Dispute Resolution Principal, Mark Fotohabadi. “The fact that they were selected to present demonstrates the considerable expertise and depth of our panel of arbitrators and mediators generally, and the expertise of these neutrals specifically.”

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John Sweeney Joins Agency for Dispute Resolution as Partner and Managing Director

Beverly Hills, California - November 14th, 2014.

Mark Fotohabadi, principal of the Agency for Dispute Resolution (ADR), has announced that veteran strategist, visionary leader and seasoned rainmaker, John Sweeney, has joined the Agency as a partner and Managing Director.

John Sweeney’s leadership at the helm of Thomson Reuters, his various consulting successes, as well as his proven track record with AmLaw 100 firms and Fortune 1000 companies will add tremendous depth and value to the ADR platform.

“What excites me about John is that he’s an insider with an outsider’s view, meaning that he has served the same client base ADR does,” Fotohabadi commented, “yet he’s not from within the dispute resolution field and offers fresh perspective. I also appreciate his keen understanding of the business of mediation versus the practice of mediation.”

“John’s interest in coming on board,” Fotohabadi continued, “lies in taking the systematic and metrics-driven approach that we at ADR have perfected and applying it to managing litigation dockets and resolving litigated cases to a broader client base. He has successfully done this with other legal services provider organizations and sees untapped potential in the dispute resolution space.

John Sweeney has held senior executive positions at major companies throughout his career. He is the former President of Thomson Reuters Litigation and CEO of Litigation Professional Services with over 25 years of experience advising General Counsel and Managing Partners on the business aspects associated with litigation. In conjunction with his partnership duties, he will spearhead the ADR’s “Streamline Settle” litigation management program for corporate dockets, and he will oversee all business relationships with the law firm market.

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