A number of the Firm’s attorneys have extensive alternative dispute resolution experience as arbitrators and mediators, and this work is an important part of the Firm’s practice:
Daniel J. Brooks: Dan has had substantial experience both as an arbitrator, serving on the Commercial Panel at the American Arbitration Association and on the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) panel (and, previously, on its predecessor arbitral tribunal at the New York Stock Exchange), and also as a litigator who has tried close to 100 securities, futures and commercial arbitrations.
Jonathan M. Landers: Jon is a well-known bankruptcy lawyer and former law professor. He has represented debtors, committees, trustee’s bank syndicates, individual creditors, asset purchasers and sellers and litigation parties. He is a member of the mediation panel in three federal district courts — the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of Delaware, and has recently served as the mediator in two large and high-profile cases. He has written widely on insolvency law, has authored numerous recent publications on bankruptcy matters and is a frequent speaker at CLE programs.
Aristargos (Harry) Christodoulou: Harry is an international corporate and commercial attorney, litigator and mediator. Harry has significant ADR experience, not only representing clients in arbitrations and mediations, but also serving as a third-party neutral. Harry is appointed to the neutrals roster of the New York State Supreme Court’s Commercial Division in New York County. He is the current Chair of the New York Peace Institute’s Mediator Advisory Board. He teaches in the Institute’s advanced civil court mediation training, mentors and coaches for the Institute, and has also served as an arbitrator for the New York County Lawyers Association since 2013. Harry has coached New York Police Department Officers, Detectives, Sergeants and Lieutenants for the Institute and is a regular panelist in its Mediation Settlement Day Event held annually in court. He prepared a training video of a model civil court mediation role-play for the Institute, which is used in Advanced Trainings and at the Mediation Court Settlement Day Event. He also spearheaded the development and launch of a Mediator Directory for the Institute. In addition, Harry is trained in facilitation — a form of mediation addressed specifically to controversies involving a large number of parties — and facilitates large group disputes.
Significant matters they have handled include:
- mediation of a “billion dollar plus” joint venture mining dispute between international joint venture parties, the resolution of which was announced on the Australian stock exchange
- mediation of a $500 million commercial real estate dispute
- mediation of an avoidance action involving complex letter of credit transaction involving $30+ million
- mediation of a dispute involving the order of distribution among competing creditors under a bankruptcy reorganization plan and related collateral source subordination issues involving $40+ million
- representing a German company and its Directors in a shareholders’ dispute involving complex strategic litigation and playing an instrumental role in securing Euro12.6 million (equivalent to approximately $16 million) through a mediated resolution for the client
