In August 2017, Lee Jay Berman was named "2017 Distinguished Neutral of the Year" by the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals (NADN).
Current Roles:
The Mediation Alliance, Inc. - Commercial Mediator since 1994
American Institute of Mediation - Founder and President
Business Mediation and Collaboration – West Coast Director; Present
Pepperdine Law School - Director - "Mediating the Litigated Case" program in Malibu (2003-2009)
Recognitions:
Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel, Counsel of the Year in Excellence in ADR 2024
Chambers USA - Top Ranked Mediator 2017-Present, Band 1 since 2023-Present (Top 16 in the U.S.)
Who's Who Legal - Global though Leader 2022-Present
Who's Who in ADR - Adr Times 2022
Who's Who in International Commercial Mediation 2012-Present
Aquisition International magazine's Excellence in ADR award 2012-2018
Southern California Mediation Association – 2021 Cloke-Millen Peacemaker of the Year Award
Southern California Mediation Association – 2010 L. Randolph Lowry Awards
Daily Journal "Top Neutral" in 2008 and 2009
Successfully mediated over 2,700 civil mediations, before, during and after litigation. Specializing in complex, multi-party litigation including business litigation, construction defect, products liability, medical malpractice and wrongful death.
Several hundred business/commercial cases involving breach of contract, business/corporate matters, shareholder disputes and corporate dissolutions, trade secrets, unfair competition, bankruptcy, fraud, collections, and franchise and partnership disputes and dissolutions (including several law firms).
Several hundred construction, real property and land use cases including construction claims, defects and closeouts, land use, CEQA, environmental protection, earth movement, homeowner associations, disclosure, exchanges, brokerage and fiduciary relationships.
Several hundred personal injury, medical malpractice and premises liability mediations.
Several hundred employment cases including discrimination, workplace harassment, wrongful termination, whistle-blowers, and wage and hour claims.
Over 100 entertainment, new media, intellectual property and technology cases, including cases involving film, television, music, and computer games and software.
Several hundred other general civil cases, including insurance coverage, intellectual property, health care, legal and medical malpractice, probates and trusts.
Education
Lee Jay has taken literally thousands of hours of training in mediation, arbitration, negotiation and related course work at the most highly-regarded programs in the United States (Harvard Program on Negotiation, Pepperdine Law School's Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, the American Arbitration Assn., and the ABA's fine arbitrator training).
Additionally, Mr. Berman is a world-renown trainer in the fields of mediation, negotiation and alternative dispute resolution. He has tought thousands of judges, attorneys and business leaders to be mediators and arbitrators, serving for seven years as Director of Pepperdine's "Mediating the Litigated Case" program, and founding the American Institute of Mediation. Mr. Berman has trained is Amsterdam, Dubai, Delhi, Brisbane, and most of the 50 states.
In August 2017, Lee Jay was named 2017 Distinguished Neutral of the Year by the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals.
Memberships & Affiliations
American Arbitration Association - National Registry of Mediators & Arbitrators; Specialty Panels for Business and Commercial, Construction, Entertainment and Insurance Disputes; elite Master Mediator for Employment matters
International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution (CPR Institute), National Panel of Distinguished Neutrals
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (formerly National Association of Securities Dealers, NASD)
United States Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California (Mediator of the Year 2005)
California Second District Court of Appeal
Superior Courts of Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Kern and Sonoma Counties
Distinguished Fellow, International Academy of Mediators, 2003-present
Diplomat, California Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, Charter Member
State Bar of California, Standing Committee on ADR, 2006-present; Ethics Subcomm., 1998-2000
Chair, International ADR Subcomm.; Legislation Committee, Ethics and Standards Committee
Chair, American Bar Association, Section on Dispute Resolution, Training Committee, 2002-2007
California Dispute Resolution Council (CDRC), 1995-present; Board of Directors 1996-2003; Executive Committee 2000-2003, Mediation Legislation & Nominating Committees
Chair, CDRC Qualifications and Standards Committee, 1997-2003, published statewide Standards of Practice for California Mediators in 1998
Member, California Judicial Council drafting committee Rules of Court for mediators, 1999-2000
California Court ADR Directors Council, 1999-2000
Southern California Mediation Association, 1994-present, Chair Courts Committee 2005
Los Angeles County Bar Association - Litigation and ADR Sections
Beverly Hills Bar Association - ADR Section
Association of Business Trial Lawyers
Inn of Court, Los Angeles Chapter
Rates Information
$12,000 for an All-Inclusive full day, $7,000 for an All-Inclusive half day. All-Inclusive service for the mediation includes one pre-mediation conference call with counsel, all study time including reading briefs, travel time (up to 1 hour of drive time for half-days and including all travel time for full days), reasonable expenses, and the mediation session, including all snacks and meals provided. Only airfare and hotels will be billed as separate line items. Any additional time spent will be billed at $900/hour.
2017 DISTINGUISHED NEUTRAL OF THE YEAR
Video Conferencing